The Apple Woman
by ParisNeverEnded
Summary: When a certain relation, one of the elder-generation, of Zach's comes to Gallagher, things well become interesting with the Apple Woman around. Rachel/Joe Zach/Cammie Disc: not mine
1. Chapter 1

The Apple Woman

When a certain relation, one of the elder-generation, of Zach's comes to Gallagher, things well become interesting with the Apple Woman around. Rachel/Joe Zach/Cammie

**A/N Well last night I had a dream about Rachel and Joe, and Joe said "We need to talk" and then promptly changed his shirt in Rachel's room. It then progressed to talking about the "Apple Woman." And I just had this scene in my mind of an old woman on an apple farm. I don't really know where this is going, but it's probably set after Don't Judge a Girl...so an AU of OGSY. It's going to have Rachel/Joe undertones and probably Zach/Cammie**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

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**Rachel POV**

It was the start of a new term, Joe had already said he'd be late for reasons he'd promised to tell me first night back; and now here he was in the Entrance hall, surrounded by a gaggle of girls.

He caught my shirt as I was going up the stairs, tugging it gently. I looked down and smirked at him.

He smiled back, his cocky grin plastered over his face, but then out of the blue he tugged me down a step, his face so close to mine. To an outsider it would have looked to be an action far too inappropriate in a school, between two teachers. But I knew Joe had ulterior motives, his lips moved slowly by my ear, whispering.

"We need to talk."

I nodded, pursued my lips and with a quick glance hinted with my eyes up the stairs, to my room. He followed me as I walked against the tide of girls, I could feel Solomons presence without having to turn around. He would never pass up an opportunity to see my room, god he was such a man.

When we reached it, I strode in and dumped some files on my desk, leaving Joe to pull his bags into the room and swiftly shut the door.

"We have a problem."

"What?" I responded. He was close to me, closer than what was expected of two colleagues. But oh god was I not complaining

"The apple-woman is in danger."

His face was so serious, that I just cracked up, I snorted, actually snorted. Joe always refused to refer to her, by her name. She was and always would be 'the apple-woman'.

"What..? What's so funny?" Joe said, annoyed by my response.

He took a step back from me and I instantaneously felt bad.

"Sorry...just...the apple woman?" I raised my eyebrows, hand on hip. "Are you still 25?"

Joe pouted. Yes pouted. "Well she's scary.."

"Hmm yes a 60 year old woman on an apple farm is scary, yes appropriate adjectives if I've ever seen one." I said sarcastically.

Joe rolled his eyes, and unzipped in case, pulling out a t-shirt. Halfway between pulling his t-shirt off and putting another one on, my mind actually registered what the hell he was doing. My mouth drawled slightly at the sight of his abs. The good thing about Joe was that he didn't do this type of thing for attention, or I certainly hoped not, he did it because he was conscientious about time and speed. We were needed, (I disappointedly dropped my gaze from his exposed chest and to my watch) in precisely 10 minutes in the dining hall. He was only trying to get things done quickly...right?

"but anyway." Joe said, stopping slightly when he saw my gaze on him, smirking.

Oh god what had I'd just done, I'd just added to his already 'as big as Florida' ego.

"I'm irresistible huh?" Joe whispered flirtatiously.

"urgh umm yeah." I mumbled not really registering what he said.

"What?" He said in surprise, not expecting that response.

"Wait. Urgh." 2 seconds later my mind had actually registered what the hell I'd said. "No..no." I said shaking my head.

"You're so cute when you're speechless." Joe said.

I rolled my eyes, cursed myself for my lack of control and stepped closer to him. "Your buttons are all wrong." I told him.

He turned scarlet at his toddler mistake, and it was my turn to smirk at him as I carefully undid his shirt buttons with my manicured fingers. I was done undoing them, careful as to not stare at his chest, when I asked. "So what's going on with _Diane_?" I stressed the word Diane, to reiterate the contrast between her real name and Joe's cute nickname for the older woman.

I was just about to put the button through the little whole when two things happened at once.

Joe went to open his mouth. And an unmistakably loud voice, a very feminine voice at that, blared from the Entrance Hall.

Joe and I immediately looked up, my eyes bulging.

"What the hell is she doing here?" I asked my mouth slightly open.

"Shit." He whispered. "I told her to wait in the car."

"WHAT?" I said in surprise.  
"Quick, let's..." He trailed off, grabbed my hand and raced out of the room to see what all the commotion was about. We reached the top of the stairs, to see a funny sight. The girls were everywhere, but they for once were speechless, all staring at a petite looking old woman, wearing a brown wide brimmed hat with an owl stuck on it. Like a real stuffed owl. She wore an emerald green 'robe' it was seem, similar to what you'd find in Harry Potter not in a girls boarding school, in broad daylight.

"What are you doing here? I told you to wait in the car." Joe yelled down the stairs.

The woman looked up and smirked. "Do your shirt up Solomon! I do not want to know what you and Rachel have been doing."

Oh my God. Urgh...uhh...uhhh. Joe's face turned bright red, when every girl, in the entrance hall and the stairs turned to Joe, whose shirt I hadn't had the time to button up. His chest, abs and all were on show to every girl 12-18 at Gallagher. Oh god, and now they all thought that I...HIM...US.

"Oh god, this can't be happening." I thought. "What is Diane Thinking?"

My over-anylization of the situation was cut short by a person shoving their way towards the front of the crowd down below.

"Grandma?" Zach said speechless just as every girl, Joe and I were feeling.

Luckily for Joe, Zach's revelation, turned every girls heads from Joe's exposed chest (which he was desperately trying to cover up by haphazardly doing up the buttons) to him.

"Zachary, you do know this is a _girls _school, and that by definition you are a boy. Whatever are you doing here?" Diane questioned, eye brow raised.

All Zach could do was open his mouth, a pang of guilt washed over me, I felt sorry for him right now. This couldn't be any easier on him.

"Zachary, close your mouth, you don't want the wind to come along and you'll be stuck like that. Now come and give your Grandmother a hug." The woman announced.

Zach was visibly mortified, and it took a shove from Macey to push him forwards towards Diane. Before he was covered in layers of emerald silk by her, he looked up at me, with pleading eyes.

My embarrassment slid from my face instantaneously (he had learnt Joe's puppy dog eyes) and my Headmistress' glare returned. "You now have 4 minutes until dinner, I suggest you all continue getting ready, lateness will not be tolerated." I said seriously, my voice blaring around the hall.

All of the returning girls, knew my threat was serious and the tide of girls continued, my action had jolted Joe into action and I followed him down the stairs.

"I thought Joe had told you to stay in the car." I said, trying to keep my authority, but Diane has always had the ability to make even the President cry with mercy (and trust me that's not a lie).

Before Diane could respond I continued "Zach, you may not be a girl, but you are now a student here, and i suggest you do as I say and continue getting ready."

Diane relaxed her grip slightly, enough for Zach to peel himself away from his grandmothers grasp and head towards Cammie, Bex, Liz and Macey.

"Mom?" Cammie asked. "What's going on?"

This time, before _i _could respond Diane cut across. "Cameron, what a delight it is to see you again."

It was Cammie's turn to look perplexed. "Huh?"

Of course she wouldn't remember, and right now I didn't have the time to explain. I glanced at Zach, motioning with my eyes to move them all along; he could fill them in with what he knew. Which right now was probably just as much as I knew, and nothing near as much as Joe was going to tell me, after of course I'd slapped him senseless. What was he doing bringing Diane Goode, into Gallagher?

"Diane I must ask you to come to my office-" I started but Diane interrupted me again.

"Rachel I thought I'd heard you say "lateness will not be tolerated," surely you both would not like to be late to dinner yourselves; as my story will take much more than..." She glanced at her watch. "2 minutes to tell."

I gritted my teeth. "Very well, you may stay for dinner, but then I really must know what the hell is going on."

"No need to sound so angry Rachel, patience is a virtue." Diane said sweetly. "Now where may I put my things?"

Taking a deep breath. "Solomon, take them to my office and then escort Diane to dinner."

Joe glared me, 1 for calling him Solomon (he did deserve it though for bringing her here) and 2 for making him spend 'quality' time with Diana aka the Apple Woman (which again he deserved).

I smirked in a 'you know you love me really way' and held his gaze.

"Enough with the love bird scene, I am here." Diane said blatantly.

Oh God, this was going to be a very long dinner.

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**A/N Well, I hoped you liked it. R&R x I'm trying to get abck into the spring of writing just it doesn't always work out. I have much of 'How will things fare?" written now and I do promise to finish it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Back Again. Hope you like this. I still don't know where I'm going with this I'm just going with the flow. I met Ally Carter in October 2011, and she kept telling me that Rachel and Joe were those types of people that deserved a happy ending. I really hope they do one day. **

**Also thank you so much for your kind reviews! So sweet and much appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine sadly. And in a sense I don't wish they were, I just wish Ally would just hurry up and get Joe and Rachel together. Wishful thinking huh x**

**Cammie POV**

"What is your Grandmother doing here?" Tina asked happily searching for gossip.

"I have no idea." Zach said, before going back to shoving a mouthful of food into his mouth.

"Well her style is...interesting." Eva added unhelpfully.

I rolled my eyes as the table descended into gossip centring around the woman sitting next to Mr Solomon on the staff table. Earlier events had been painstakingly awkward and most certainly confusing. It was only a matter of time before Tina brought the conversation away from the elderly woman to Mr Solomon, his abs and my mother. Oh god, that has got to be me my most embarrassing moment ever, it triumphs over everything that's happened in my life so far. The WHOLE of Gallagher saw Mr Solomon and my Mom holding hands, with his shirt undone all the way giving us a whole show of his perfect abs. Which would have been embarrassment at its finest, if Zach's Grandmother hadn't insinuated that Mr Solomon and my Mom had been undertaking questionable activities. Activities that I NEVER want to imagine let alone hear spreading around school. It's my Mom for goodness sake and the guy that I think of more and more like a father with each passing day. Just no.

Zach had told me that this was his Grandmother on his mother's side, but had said nothing more. He didn't know why she was here or how she knew me. I was just hoping my Mom would explain later. Zach was already known by everyone in school, he is after all the only boy in an all-girls boarding school. Mom had told me at the beginning of vacation he'd be joining permanently or at least for the foreseeable future, due to security reasons. She hadn't gone into any more detail and despite snooping attempts I could find no more information anywhere. I'd even gotten Liz to hack into the CIA database, but we found nothing, zilch. Zach had been no help either, he refused to answer any questions by any of us regarding why he was here. He was so infuriating I wanted to slap him senseless.

"So who checked out Mr Solomon's abs?" Tina whispered quietly.

A move which pulled me out of my thoughts and into the middle of the action; of a table full of giggling girls. Tina glanced around, focusing her eyes on me and then suddenly her eyes lit up, as if registering the fact that my mother had been with Mr Solomon.

"Oh my god, you have to tell Cam, what is up with Mr Solomon and your Mom?" She asked.

Her voice had the attention of everybody on the table and everybody turned to me, well except Zach who was too busy eating. Something which I wished I could be doing right now.

"Nothing. There is nothing going on between them." I said sternly.

"Hmmm." Tine pressed her lips together and whispered. "At least not yet..."

Oh God. Kill me now.

Luckily, as if she could sense her daughter was experiencing utter mortification my mother rose to her feet and began her new term speech.

Thank God.

**Rachel POV**

"My Office Now." I said through gritted teeth to Joe.

The girls were filing out from dinner now, Cammie had glanced back at me with questioning eyes and with my own eyes I had told her later, not now. All would be explained once I actually knew what the hell was going on here.

Before I left the table Patricia kindly put her hand on my arm in a sweet gesture. "Be kind." She warned.

I smiled. She always did know what I was like when I was at a loss as to what was going on. Usually it led to some form of fire or a broken limb.

"I would like to see Joseph in one piece tomorrow." She added, as if knowing what I was thinking.

"Hmm." I said passively, turning from the table whilst motioning for Diane Goode and Joe to follow.

Once the door to my office swung shut my headmistress mode was replaced by spy mode. "Explain. Now." I turned to see Joe lounging in my office chair and Diane comfortably sitting in an armchair.

Of how he infuriated me.

"She came to me." Diane said simply. "In early June, saying that she needed my help. I refused of course." Diane looked up at me with kind eyes, mother's eyes and continued sadly. "I used to know my daughter, and now I know what she has become. I've always known, that's why I've tried to keep Zachary away from her, away from the Circle. I haven't always been successful but at least at Blackthorne he was safe."

I looked at Joe briefly and he held my gaze knowing the irony in her last comment.

"Well anyway when I refused, she threatened me. My own daughter threatened me."

The Diane Goode I knew had always been headstrong, she was an inspiration with her combined experience and skill, but right now I saw her crumble and I knew what she meant. I don't know what I'd be like if Cammie become so estranged to me, so immersed in wrong doings that she threatened me? It was a nightmare of every mother, but for so few it becomes a reality.

"She said my days were numbered, and I would have to watch out. I don't know what provoked such a visit, I'm guessing it had something to do with Zachary's letter but I wouldn't know how she would know about that."

At both Joe and I's questioning looks she expanded on her comment. "Zachary wrote to me before the summer, asking to stay with me over vacation. I agreed of course, I know my daughter doesn't exactly spend quality time with her son and neither would I want her to. The less Zachary becomes involved in her world the better. I wrote back agreeing; but then received this visit from her, on my Apple Farm telling me to stay away from Zach. I protested of course and then she threatened me as I said. Two days later when I was picking apples, a sniper tried to kill me, my storage barn was blown up when I tried to escape. Luckily my late husband had planned for such unfortunate events and so I was able to escape unscathed. I spent July travelling from safe house to safe house owned by ex-colleagues of my husbands and then went to Solomon's lake house in early August. It's just as I'd remembered." She commented glancing at Joe. "Of course it took him 2 weeks to find me there didn't it?" She said with disapproving eyes.

"I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for you! We haven't spoken in years!" Joe protested.

"Hmm...I suppose we haven't, not since you got him into Blackthorn. But what a fat lot of good that did him. Why the hell is he at Gallagher and not in Blackthorn anyway?" Diane raised her voice slightly.

Joe and I looked at each other and I nodded. We had to tell her.

"It's for Zach's own safety, he's involved with Cammie's situation, he's a liability to his mother-"

Diane tried to interrupt but I continued from Joe. "Although we appreciate Zach is not what his mother is, he is deeply involved in Cammie's protection, his mother knows Zach chose to protect Cammie over his loyalties to her. We want to protect Zach from the Circle just as much as Cammie." I finished.

Diane nodded slowly. "I guessed as much. What a mess my family has become." She noted sadly.

"Diane, you may not have been a Gallagher Girl, but you taught here far longer than any high school course. You are, and always will be part of the Gallagher Family." I told her, clutching her hand.

She smiled at me with knowing eyes, the sadness it would seem would never leave her face, however hard I tried. But I was persistent. Diane Goode's daughter may have chosen the wrong path but Diane Goode was a good spy and so was her grandson.

"And I was willingly going to beg, but now with that statement you can hardly turn me away. Joseph could you take my things to my room now."

And there was the Diane I knew. "What?" I spluttered.

"Well I have no place left to go, if you didn't understand dear, my own daughter wants to kill me."

There she was brushing everything that hurt off, like it was nothing. It's what made her a good spy, but it also made her painstakingly unlikable at times.

"Fair enough, but Diane you must know better than anyone that I have to consult the board-"

But Diane was already half way through the door.

Joe put his hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. "It's no use. Just accept the Apple Woman is here to stay."

**Joe POV **

It took 39 minutes and 34 seconds for me to escape the wrath of the Apple Woman. She actually had the nerve to ask me to unpack for her, to move furniture around. I never thought I was going to survive. The whole fiasco with my shirt was one thing but making me do manual labour on my first night back was unbelievable. All I wanted to do was take a shower and go see Rachel, she was expecting me to debrief her on my escapades doing the summer and she wasn't going to let me sleep until I'd told her every last detail. Also, having to protect Apple Woman all of August hadn't exactly let me plan any lessons at all, and not only was I going to have to face the prospect of not knowing what I was going to do tomorrow, my lessons were going to be as awkward as hell. Every girl had seen my chest and every girl had heard what was insinuated between Rachel and myself. Oh great Gossip+Supposed Facts, oh and to top it off Tina is in my CoveOps class tomorrow which will equal the interrogation from hell.

Groaning I made my way to Rachel's office and opened it without knocking.

"Hey." I told her.

Rachel was sitting at her desk, hands massaging her temples as she stared at paperwork on her desk. She looked up at my voice. "Hey."

"What's up Rach?" I asked truly concerned about her. She looked so vulnerable right now.

She sighed. "I'm worried Joe. About everything, none of this should be happening." She got up from her desk and went over to a cabinet, as she bent down I got a great look at her butt.

"You're staring at my butt Joe. I know." She said turning round with a smile.

"Well it's a cute butt." I retorted responding to her smile with one of my own. Happy that she despite these hard times she hadn't lost her ability to light up a room with one of her smiles.

She poured two glasses of amber liquid, gestured for me to take one. She'd already downed hers by the time I reached for mine. She poured herself another one and just held the cool glass to her cheek.

"It's all her fault, she's ripped my family apart and now she's digging the knife right in, she's ruining everything Joe. That bitch!"

And she lost it. Rachel Morgan burst into tears. All her walls fell down. Her coolness, hell even her hot headedness was lost. She spilt the contents of her glass all over her desk, ruining countless papers as she put it down with shaking hands. There have been very few times where I have had to comfort Rachel Morgan in our lives, they'd become more frequent in the last few years but still not enough to be good for a person. She stayed strong for so many people for so long that it was painful to watch her keep it in, and so I was almost grateful that she was letting it all out now. Finally.

I held her close in my arms as all good friends do and let her cry and sob and yell about the Circle, about how unfair this was. The sad thing was without lying there was nothing I could do but agree. The Circle had ruined everything once before, but to hell were they going to succeed a second time.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Heya again, I'm on a roll here. Thanks for your kind words in all those reviews, definitely made my day. This bit may be a little OOC but I tried. **

**Disclaimer: Still not mine **

**Joes POV**

"I appreciate last night's events were 'interesting', but I am now glad to welcome our new Member of Faculty, Mrs Goode who will be returning to her post teaching Disguise and Deception from this semester." Rachel told the breakfasting students. "Classes are timetabled which will be given out during your first class."

The girls whispered to each other in earnest, I could see Cammie's table all stare at Zach. Oh, how I was glad I was not Zachary Goode right then. At the end of last semester, when it was apparent at what lengths Zach was willing to protect Cammie, Rachel and I had talked about letting him stay on at Gallagher, she took little convincing but it was the board who had been the big battle. Five long hours of endless debate where I'd lost my cool more than once, and yet Rachel ever the diplomat managed to cover me (with payback later of course!) and persuaded the board to unanimously vote in favour of letting Zach stay indefinitely. It only cost me two bottles of my best wine, a sparring session (which did not end well for me) and six boxes of chocolates.

I smirked at the memory, only being woken from it by a gentle tap on the shoulder by Patricia, sitting on my left. "I need to talk to you later about Mr Goode." She said with a slight smile. "Nothing terrible of course." She added looking at my raised eyebrow. "More about his work ethic," She said ambiguously.

I smirked and I could see Rachel, who had overheard the comment, from the corner of my right eye, bite her lip and smile. Mr Goode's work was undeniably brilliant, his work ethic...hmm not so much. I smiled at Patricia, promising to speak after dinner and turned subtly to Rachel. Most of the girls had left the room already, to finish getting ready for next class, as had most of the staff.

"You have the seniors next." Rachel said matter of faculty. "What's today's lesson plan?"

Oh she was good. She knew I hadn't planned any lessons, and I was quite genuinely planning on winging it all day.

Without waiting for a response, she pulled out a wad of sticky notes from her purse and pressed them into my hand. "Consider it a thank you for last night."

I looked down at the pink sticky notes stuck to my hand. They were lesson plans, or at least themes. Of god how I loved Rachel Morgan.

When I looked up, Rachel was disappearing through the door, but as if feeling my stare on her back she turned and winked at me. She actually winked. I was taken aback by her gesture, and I couldn't help but a smile part my lips, luckily there were very few girls still eating breakfast and those that were hadn't seen what she'd done.

"You two really should keep that all in the bedroom Solomon. It's far too inappropriate for an Educational Facility."

I turned to my right to see who had said it. It was the Apple woman. Of course it was. Nobody else would suggest such a thing, let alone say it. She was always far too forward, she said things like this. Things that were not true in the slightest. Rachel and I were in no way together, we never would be.

**Cammie's POV**

"Stop it." I whispered in his ear. I pinned his arm behind his back, applying pressure to his pressure point only slightly.

"What the hell Gallagher Girl?" He yelped, as I applied a little too much pressure.

"What are you going here Zach?" I let go of his wrist, leaving him to feign hurt. "What are you doing at my school? Isn't my protection enough for you?"

Zach stared at me as if I'd lost it. And in a sense I guess I had pretty much done so, I'd pulled him into an empty corridor on our way to first class, all my anger of being 'out of the know' had finally boiled over. He'd been ignoring me ever since he'd turned up here three days before school started. He just hadn't said a word to me, Macey had said it was him trying to re-establish his "aura of mystery again" but I didn't believe it. I was frustrated with him for blanking me, frustrated with my Mom for telling me nothing, frustrated with Mr Solomon for doing the same, frustrated with my friends for not understanding and most importantly I was frustrated with being trapped in the one place I should feel at home. When Aunt Abby had dropped me back at Gallagher (alongside my protection detail) at the end of summer, I'd noticed instantaneously everything was different. The passageways sealed even the ones I'd thought nobody knew about. Everything had Changed.

Zach didn't answer me. I vented to him every problem I had with him, from the fact that his parting was 2 inches too far to the left to the fact his shoe laces were tied in a single not a double not. I told him everything except for my real problems. But he sensed it, Oh who am I kidding, he knew what all my problems were, he always knew. Always

I was surprised when his finger touched my lips, cutting me off mid-rant. "Ssh Gallagher Girl." He put his arms around me and I rested my chin on his shoulder. He didn't comfort me with words, but I never expected him to, he never told me everything would be ok, because we both knew that would be lying. He just wrapped his arms around me tight and said nothing. And for that I was very grateful.

**Joe POV**

We'd already talked about this. Rachel and I that is. This semester (and for the foreseeable future) Cammie was in no way doing fieldwork for CoveOps. We both knew the risks, and even if we were both with her it was a risk just not worth taking. The Circle could get her if she went outside Gallagher and we were not willing to let them do so. However we also both knew it was not going to go down well with Cammie herself; considering she had no idea why we were doing this. She already felt isolated from everybody, it was evident, Rachel had sadly commented on it, that Cammie had barely spoken to her since Abby dropped her back at Gallagher, by preventing Cammie doing the thing that she was brilliant at would severe her further. But we'd both agreed, we couldn't tell Cammie yet, she was still too young to be burdened with secrets, and as much as it pained Rachel she'd much rather her daughter despise her than carry those secrets on her shoulders.

"10 minutes by the van ladies." I'd told the class.

It was a week back into the school term and we'd spent the last few lessons doing less interesting work and the girls were restless. I'd been prolonging our first field assignment because I hadn't wanted to tell Cammie. I winced when I added. "Not you Ms Morgan."

The whole class was filing out of the sublevels, when Cammie and Bex both turned round. "I don't remember calling your name Ms Baxter."

Rebecca glared at me slightly and looked apologetically at Cammie.

"I'll see you in a sec." Cammie said lightly.

I waited for Ms Baxter to have fully left the room before saying "We're going to see the Headmistress."

I put my hand on Cammie's shoulder absentmindedly and guided her out of the Sublevels.

"Why are we going to see my Mom?" She asked, she cocked her head up to look at me.

I didn't answer her and I don't think she really expected an answer either,

When we got to Rachel's Office I didn't bother knocking, she was expecting us as she'd basically ordered me to do a field assignment after complaints of restless girls.

"Mom?" Cammie looked questioningly at Rachel.

"Take a seat Cammie." She responded, putting her pen down.

I stood, leaning against a bookshelf near the desk and watched the pair, Cammie was growing to look more and more like her mother every day.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No sweetie, just Mr Solomon and I need to talk to you about CoveOps?"

Cammie's face didn't give away her thoughts, she was good.

"Mr Solomon and I have agreed that due to safety concerns you will not be doing field operations in his class-"

"WHAT?" Cammie stared open mouthed. Her eyes darted between her mother aross the desk and me by the bookshelf. "WHY?" Her voice was cracked and slightly raised. She was shocked.

"It's not a risk we're willing to take sweetie." Rachel tried comfortingly.

"But...but it's CoveOps. What about exams?...What about real world experience? How the hell am I going to cope in the real world without training?"

"Cammie you know it's not safe, we don't want you to get hurt." _Again. _Was not added but the three of us all thought it.

"No. No I don't know that it's not safe. I don't know what the hell is going on? How the hell am I supposed to be protected when I don't know what; who I'm being protected from." Her voice was angry; this was the first time I've ever seen Cameron Morgan shout let alone at her mother. She was so like Rachel. She bottled it up until she could suppress it no more.

"Cameron-"

"Unless you're going to tell me what the hell is going on I don't want to know." The ultimatum was fierce and unlike I've ever heard Cameron Morgan ever say, The two stared at each other willing the other to speak,

"There are some things in this world Ms. Morgan that are not worth knowing." I broke the silence with my carefully chosen words.

She didn't respond she looked shocked.

"Right now Cammie, we don't know the whole picture. We don't know if you'll ever get to be an Agent, because right now it's not safe. It's not safe for you to go out of these walls." _Because people want to kill you._ Was left unsaid.

Cameron looked at me, staring into my eyes. All I saw in hers were anger. It was heartbreaking she was as fragile as a china doll, she was breaking away from everybody and we had to let her, she couldn't know. She didn't understand and both Rachel and I would go to the ends of the earth to stop her from ever succeeding in knowing what we knew.

Suddenly she tore her eyes away from me and walked out the door.

I sighed, we knew this conversation was never going to go well, but this had been unexpected. I turned to Rachel to see her eyes full of sadness a tear forming in her eyes.

**A/N 2 I didn't like this chapter particularly very much, the next will hopefully be a lot better**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Well Number 4 is here, I start my GCSEs on Monday so have no idea when I'll be able to update after that but I'll try. I love this story far too much to just let it go. I was reading bits of OSOT today) the British version somebody got for me) and was like they've changed a bit from the American Version. I've read all the American Versions of the books and only like 2 of them with the British Versions; and so I was reading OSOT and I spluttered, actually spluttered the stupid Editors have changed Mom to Mum. I'm sorry but Cammie referring to Rachel as 'Mum' is just...no. It does not sound right in the slightest particularly when she's talking to Joe. Just an observation. Sorry for the long Authors note, I'll let you get on and read it!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine still. **

**Cammie POV **

I ran. It was wrong I now, but I ran. I was fed up angry at the way she treated me, _they_ treated me. There were purposely keeping me out of the loop even though it was about me. I was furious at them both, I've never really got angry at my Mom since we've been at Gallagher, well not angry enough to shout and scream at her as I had just done, I hadn't even considered doing that, let alone with Mr Solomon in the room. Whatever respect he'd ever had for me must have gone the moment I walked out. But they'd told me I may never get to be a spy, never work with CIA, NSA, Homeland, FBI, never become the thing that I've been training all my life to be, never be what my Mom, my Aunt and my Dad were all. It scared me that I may never be safe that I may be trapped at Gallagher forever. It wasn't my home. Not anymore. It was my prison.

Everybody was in class, my CoveOps class must be waiting by the van wondering what was taking Mr Solomon so long; so I ran down the Hall of History, turned the corner and ran through the Entrance Hall only to hit something hard. I was so caught in my thoughts, tears burning my eyes, blurring my vision that I hadn't been aware of my surroundings.

"Sorry." I mumbled, without looking up.

**First Mistake number one. **

As I turned to run up the stairs, a hand grabbed mine. I froze and turned. I'd ran into a man, a man I'd never seen before. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I had that gut feeling that this couldn't be good.

"Ms Morgan." The man said with a British accent, not dissimilar from Bex's.

Yet he didn't withdraw his hand from me.

I didn't really know what to say, or do. '_He's not the enemy. He's not the enemy'_ I kept repeating as a mantra in my mind. The guards wouldn't have let a complete stranger into Gallagher, let alone through the Entrance door. He must know my Mom, be an appointment of hers.

"Agent Townsend." I heard my Mom say.

I turned around, my Mom and Mr Solomon were standing in the Entrance Hall, they must be looking for me.

"Kindly let go of my daughter." She added icily.

The British man ignored her. "Joseph Solomon, I need to talk to you."

"Let go of my daughter now." My Mom added through gritted teeth.

I saw Mr Solomon place a hand on my mother's arm, and whispered something in her ear before saying. "Townsend let go of Cameron."

The man thought for a second before letting me go. I moved away at his release, in case he went to grab me again.

"How the hell did you get in Townsend? I approve any visitors, including _Agents." _Mom said.

"Not when there's a security breach." He said staring right at Mr Solomon.

"Why are you here Townsend?" She said almost shouting.

"Ask Joseph Solomon. He's the one with the Circle contacts. Rachel he's working for them."

At that moment, five things happened at once.

The doors to outside opened and the newly placed CIA armed guards, from the front gates were suddenly in the room, guns pointing at Mr Solomon.

My Mom shouted

I shouted

Mr Solomon turned to run

I felt a gun pressed against my temple.

Mr Solomon turned back.

"How far are you willing to go Solomon? You need her _alive._" Townsend spat.

I was analyzing the situation, the Agent had one arm twisting my arms around my back, pulling me against him, the other was holding the gun that was pressed so hard against my temple I could feel the barrel opening imprint on my skin.

I stared at my Mom. Who looked at me not as a Mother but as a spy. With her eyes she told me not to move. As angry as I had been with her, I was scared, I had never not even last semester been this close to death. With a gun pressed to my temple. I would die instantly if he so much as pressed the trigger. I was going to die.

Mr Solomon stood there. Next to my Mom. They were the best Agents alive in the world, they were going to get me out of this situation. I ran through scenarios in my mind, but never in a million years did I think Mr Joseph Solomon would surrender. Which was exactly what he did.

"No." My Moms whisper echoed around the room.

He turned to her, staring at her for a moment, before walking towards the guards. It was actually giving in. I had no idea, what Mr Solomon was, but I knew that this man, my father's best friend could never be a part of the organization that wanted to kill me. I knew it.

"No." I repeated my mother's words, only louder.

Mr Solomon turned for an instant and I saw a look of regret in his eyes, before the armed guards were around him. I heard the shot. For a moment I thought this was the end, but when I blinked back tears, I saw Mr Solomon through the gap between the guards. They'd shot him, blood was everywhere I could see it dripping on the marble flooring of the Entrance Hall.

Suddenly I no longer felt the gun pressing into my temple, there were no hands grabbing my arms. Townsend was not going to kill me. I looked up to see my Mom crying openly. "Joe." She shouted, trying to run towards him. To save him.

But the guards surrounded her too, they grabbed her arms as she flailed them, trying to escape, she punched one of them in the gut desperate to get to Mr Solomon but then there were suddenly many more guards, more than what were there at the beginning of the year. Back up had been called. I heard Mr Solomon cry out "Rachel." As a guard hit her temple, more surrounded them.

It was the only time I'd ever seen my home, be overruled by the people supposed to be on our side. Gallagher was losing and it was not a pretty sight.

It was my turn to scream. I shouted and I went to run, to get to my Mom, but suddenly I felt arms around me. I struggled and I screamed but the arms wouldn't budge. I was on my knees, on the floor the person behind me binding me to the ground.

"Don;t Cammie, don't resist."

I was shocked at the words; it was Mrs Goode, Zach's Grandmother.

"No!" I screamed once more but the arms wove them around me tighter.

It was no use. I watched as they took my Mom and Mr Solomon. I saw Agent Townsend glance at me, his expression unreadable. I sat there in a pool of blood, Mrs Goode's arms around me, turning me into her chest as I cried.

I only vaguely registered what happened after that. I know Professor Buckingham stormed in, I know the Board appeared and I know I was taken to my Moms office. I know Professor Buckingham got angry, VERY ANGRY. Angry as I have never seen her before.

I know it turned out a Board member had let Townsend in. (She was promptly banished from the board).

I know all of the Board members thought that Mr Solomon was a bad guy.

I know all but one (the one who'd let Townsend in) thought Townsend had acted wrongly.

I know all but one cared about my Mom.

I know all of them agreed that Buckingham should be acting-Headmisstress.

I know they didn't have answers.

I know they all promised to put Gallagher Alumni on guard duty, as currently all CIA agents had left.

I know not one them looked at me.

Buckingham made me repeat everything I'd seen since leaving my Moms office (i left out the fact that I'd stormed out) and then sent me to bed.

"Is my Mom coming back?" I voiced the question I was too afraid to ask.

Professor Buckingham looked at me like a spy, not revealing anything, no emotion what so ever. "I believe Agent Townsend has taking her in for questioning, nothing more."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Some way to bring her in for questioning," I breathed under my breath.

But Buckingham heard me, she always did. "Goodnight Cameron." She said.

And I walked away, up the stairs and to my expected room-mates, leaving Buckingham to the board and me to explain everything once more.

**A/N Well I've been looking forward to writing this for some time, although it took me all day to figure out how the hell Townsend could've got in with armed guards without Rachel knowing but I think i managed it at least semi-believably!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Hello again people! Hope you're still interested in this story because here's the fifth instalment of it! Have fun!**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine. **

* * *

Cammie POV

"Hey Cammie."

I sleepily opened my eyes a fraction to the sound of a woman's voice that I couldn't place and a hand rhythmically stroking circles on my back through my duvet.

"Mom?" I asked, I knew the hope was evident in my voice.

"No Squirt."

Suddenly I opened my eyes wider. "Aunt Abby!" I squeled in a very tired/groggy voice.

"Yeah." She replied with a small smile.

She stopped rubbing my back and put her hand to my check where I could bet I still had the barrel of Townsends gun imprinted lightly into my skin

"Wheres Bex and Li-?" I asked her.

She cut me off quickly "I sent them to breakfast."

"Why didn't I wake up?"

"They drugged you kiddo." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I slowly sat up in my bed, leaving more room for Aunt Abby who was currently perched on the edge.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

Ever since my Dad died, I'd basically not seen my Aunt until last semester and don't get me wrong I love my Aunt Abby, just whenever she's here something's wrong. Very wrong. I'd spent some of summer Vacation with her ('in hiding' had been the term not used by her, my Mom or Mr Solomon) which had been great too.

"Alumni Protection Protocol, until the Board can decide on an appropriate manned defence." Abby said professionally.

"They got us, they got Mr Solomon, they got Mom. They were supposed to protect us and they turned on us." I said folding my arms.

Aunt Abby looked at me sadly and gently traced her fingers around the mark on my temple. "They didn't turn on you Cammie, or Gallagher, they were there to protect you."

"They shot Mr Solomon!" I cried.

"Because they were trying to protect you Cammie from him." Abby's words were said in a whisper.

I connected the dots. "Agent Townsend said that he was part of the Circle of Cavan." I stared at Abby who refused to meet my gaze. "But he lied." My Aunt still wouldn't look at me. "Abby he lied. Mr Solomon was protecting me-"

And then Abby looked up at me with a look I never want to see again. Her eyes were full of sadness, but the conveyed the message I refused to believe.

"How can he be a part of it?" I said.

"Cammie. You have to know that Joe loves you like a daughter, he is protecting you. But yes in the past he was a member of the Circle."

"What?" I spluttered.

Thoughts raced through my mind 'How could Mr Solomon, who was always there for me, who always protected me, who is a good guy, who was almost as brilliant as my Mom as a CIA agent, be a part of an organisation that's trying to kill me?' I thought over and over.

"But he's a good guy!"

"Cammie, the world isn't split into bad guys and good guys, it would make our lives a whole lot easier if they were." She added. "Joseph Solomon changed for the better."

I couldn't process it. I was still struggling with the concept that Mr Solomon _had _been a part of it.

"But why take my Mom?" I whispered.

"She's the closest person to Joe, they're 'friends'." She looked at me with a smirk and a raised eyebrow at the word 'friends'.

I felt like pulling the duvet over my head, I did not like what my Aunt was insinuating. "Oh My God, who told you about the start of term?" I asked in shame.

"Nobody..." Abby looked confused. "Oooo...what happened at the start of term?" She asked in intrigue.

I shook my head. "No. Just...No." I managed a smile.

And for a few moments everything felt normal, the two of us smiling on my bed.

But, I wanted answers, and I'd already given up on being 'normal' a long time ago.

"Why?" I asked.

"They need to ask her some questions, they'll be wanting me too soon, I was his partner too when your Mom or Dad weren't around." Aunt Abby replied.

She suddenly had a glazed expression on her face, obviously remembering some funny memory; however she quickly jerked herself out of it, her tone very serious. "You are safe here, at Gallagher.."

I tried to protest but she shook her head. "Yesterday was people trying to protect you."

"They interfered with Gallagher!" I said.

"They were protecting you." She said seriously. "People believe that Joe Solomon is a bad guy still, we" she said gesturing to me and her "know the truth, but the rest of the world don't know that. Nobody can get to you when you're at Gallagher. And when I leave I need you to promise me you'll listen to them Cammie, to Buckingham to anybody that is here when your Mom and I aren't. Promise me." She reiterated.

I thought for a moment and nodded. "I promise."

"Good squirt." Aunt Abby said smiling.

She messed up my hair affectionately and I smiled back at her,

* * *

We'd all been wondering who was going to take CoveOps now that Mr Solomon had gone, what I hadn't thought was that _she _was going to teach it. It was a shock to all of us, when we'd arrived at the Sublevel eleveator to find it was sealed shut with a notice pinned to it in neat handwriting "_Entry to the Sublevels not permitted."_ Now we were even more shocked when a petite woman in red robes and a furry looking stuffed animal on her head strode down the corridor to meet us. Mrs Goode was teaching CoveOps...okays then.

"Room 104." She said simply and began walking down the nearest staircase, leaving us to follow like lost rabbits.

"Why aren't we in the sublevels?" Anna asked timidly, voicing the question all of us were thinking.

"Security breach." Diane Goode responded.

I turned to Bex. "But why?" I mouthed.

"I don't believe that's of your concern Ms Morgan." Mrs Goode said without turning around.

Bex opened her eyes in amazement and raised her eyebrows at me. "She's good!"

"But not as good as Mr Solomon," I whispered softly.

We approached Room 104 quickly, it was a dissuesd classroom that I don't think I'd ventured in since I was in eighth grade. Bex and I found a seat in a middle row, in front of Tina and Courtney and behind Zach. After a moment of silence, in which we all waited in bated breath Mrs Goode turned round.

"So Ladies, and Gentleman." She added without a glance at her grandson. "We're talking about Body Language today."

And then we groaned. Yet without giving anything away or commenting at our distain, Mrs Goode continued (much to my horror). "How do you know that Ms Morgan and Zachary are a couple?"

I stared at her with my mouth agape, Bex too looked shocked.

"W-What?" Courtney asked.

"How do you know that Ms Morgan and Zachary are a couple?" She repeated rolling her eyes in annoyance of having to repeat herself.

17 girls and 1 boy were dead silent until a little voice behind me said. "Because they've said."

" Yet Ms Fetterman have they really?"

No. The answer was no. Never since I had met Zach had I said we were together and to the best of my knowledge neither had Zach.

"They stand close together." Tina, who had been sat deep in thought suddenly blared.

I turned to her and glared.

"Which means what?"

"It has connotations of closeness and intimacy." Bex suddenly said.

I reverted my eyes back to her still maintain the glare and Bex responded by shrugging. She was adding to my embarrassment, my own best friend! How unfair was that!

"What else do they do that suggests their together?" Mrs Goode added with a slight smile.

She was enjoying this far too much! Soon the whole class (besides Zach and I) were deep in debate over how they knew we were together. I could have died, until horror of all horrors I was so close to stabbing myself with Bex's fountain pen because Mrs Goode suddenly brought up the subject that will forever haunt me. "So how do you know Headmistress Morgan and Mr Solomon are together?"

I banged my head on the table in dispear.

"WHAT! SO THEY ARE ACTUALLY TOGETHER?" Tina yelled in my ear.

I looked up to see Mrs Goode wink, yes actually wink at me.

Kill Me Now.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N I was only at school until 1:20 today, so when I came home I had this massive burst of inspiration so I kind of sat down and spent two hours writing this. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you so much for your reviews! They always make my day. Always**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, that goes to Ally Carter**

* * *

I'd promised Aunt Abby that I'd listen to Buckingham and the other teachers, and for the most part I had. I hadn't used the passageways or snuck out of school, I'd done my homework on time and I'd started an extra-credit project with Macey for P&E. I had even accepted the fact that when Mrs Goode took my entire CoveOps class on field assignments I would be staying inside the mansion. It was infuriating, of course but I abided by Buckingham's rules. Zach and Bex, in an act of kindness had both offered numerous times to stay with me in the mansion whilst the class went on missions but both Professor Buckingham and Mrs Goode had waved them off and denied them. If I hadn't been concentrating all my anger on the circle and Agent Townsend then I would have been angry with them for refusing to let my friends stay with me, but I was all angered out.

"Ms Morgan, can I have a word with you?"

I looked down the Hall of History to see Professor Buckingham holding the door open to my Mom's office. It was currently only first period and I was supposed to be studying in the library, as Mrs Goode had taken my class out. I frowned but nodded at her, what did she want with me?

I found out why immediately after setting foot in the office.

"What is he doing here?" I growled, the anger was evident in my face.

I turned to see Agent Townsend lounging in a chair opposite my Mom's desk. I gritted my teeth, I was seething with anger, he'd pressed a gun to my head, shot Mr Solomon and taken him and my Mom.

"Where's my Mom?" I practically yelled.

"Cameron _Ann_ Morgan!" Professor Buckingham warned at my tone, stressing my middle name, in a tone only my own mother could hold.

"Your mother is being questioned." Agent Townsend said simply.

His voice was emotionless and I hated him even more for it. "You've had her for a week."

He merely raised an eyebrow at my comment and smiled. "So I have."

Then I flipped. I charged at him and punched him right in the nose, before digging my nails into his cheek.

"Cameron!" Professor Buckingham shouted and grabbed my arm before I could do more damage.

For a second, as Agent Townsend sat, blood pooling from his face unaware of what the hell had just happened, I swore Buckingham smiled at me. It was a small smile, replaced very quickly by the glare that was reprimanding me, but it was a smile.

"Agent Townsend are you ok?" My Professor asked with (fake) concern.

"No I bloody well am not!" He yelled fiercely.

He jumped up out of chair, his hand over his face trying to stop the blood flow and I couldn't help but stifle a giggle. I tried to turn it into a cough but both of them knew what I'd really been doing and Professor Buckingham glared at me.

"You!" He snarled at me, pointing a finger at me. "I-"

"Would you like to leave Mr Townsend?"

"No." He rudely said at my teacher's question.

"Cameron, please wait outside, I need to clean up Mr Townsend before he talks to you." My teacher said, pointing to the door. I left, feeling better than I had ever been since that man had taken my Mom.

It took 15 minutes, of which Townsend screamed 23 times, swore 52 and yelled several times about there being an inquiry into the behavioural issues at Gallagher; before Buckingham opened the door and ushered me in again. She was unimpressed, well she probably was impressed but there was no way she would ever tell me.

"Are you okay now Agent Townsend?" I smiled sweetly at him.

Professor Buckingham stared at me as if to say "Don't push it." It didn't matter anyway, Agent Townsend ignored my question.

"Now Ms Morgan can I trust you to _control _yourself now? Or will I have to sedate you?"

I could have retorted with something about "If you sedate me how can I say anything?" but I valued my life so i bit my tongue, knowing the threat hung and nodded.

"Very Well." She said after a moment. "Agent Townsend is here to talk to you-"

"Evidently." I mumbled under my breath.

She raised an eyebrow and I knew I had probably crossed the line 15 minutes ago, oops. "About Mr Solomon." She continued.

"Where is he?" Agent Townsend spat.

I turned to him, he was now sitting in an armchair, his nose now straight and bandaged but his cheek was still bloody from my finger nails digging in.

"In you custody I presume." I stared at him not really knowing what he was asking.

"Don't be smart with me-"

"What?" i turned to my teacher. "What's going on?" I asked her.

"Mr Solomon escaped from CIA custody two days ago."

My eyes widened. "What?" I spluttered.

"So where is he?" Agent Townsend continued.

"I don't know."

"Lies."

"I honestly don't know Agent Townsend." I said. "I haven't been out of the mansion."

He looked at me as if he didn't believe me.

"Look I haven't been out of the mansion." I turned again to my teacher. "Tell him I haven't. I haven't even been out for CoveOps!"

"It's true." The Professor said to Agent Townsend.

As if still not quite believing me he pressed his lips together. "Has he in any way tried to contact you?"

"No." I shook my head.

"Not by any of the other students? Or faculty?" He added with a glance at Buckingham.

"No. I promise."

"Your Dad said that once to me." He stared at me right in the eye. "He lied."

I was about to make a snide comment but Buckingham could feel my anger burning up and cut the conversation short.

"You may leave now Ms Morgan."

"No." Agent Townsend and I both yelled at the same time.

"Yes." Buckingham pressed on, ignoring both of our protests. "Oh and Cammie." She added when I'd reluctantly opened the door. "Do tell me if you do hear from Mr Solomon."

"Of course." I smiled sweetly at the door and left.

Bex wouldn't believe what I'd found out!

* * *

2 hours later, as I was walking through the Entrance Hall to go to Lunch I suddenly heard the doors open and my entire class come running through in excitement. I smiled, I'd given up feeling jelous of my classmates on day one I was truly interested in what had happened on the assignment. Before I could say anything, Bex ran up to me and tugged my hand. "Come on." She hissed. "I have so much to tell you!"

I complained. "Can it wait until after lunch?"

"No." Bex shook her head furiously. "You won't regret it either."

"I doubt it." I said, yearning for the delicious smells coming from the kitchen currently.

"Trust me." She whispered.

She dragged me into our room (Liz and Macey had obviously gone to lunch) and sat down on her bed.

"You'll never guess whose escaped." She said excitedly.

"Mr Solomon." I whispered knowingly.

"What!" She spluttered. "How did you know?"

"Agent Townsend."

"What?"

"Just wait." I told her, sitting down next to her. "I want to hear what happened to you first."

"Ok." She said uncertain. "But then I want to know what happened to you." When she had my full attention she continued. "Mrs Goode made us do this exercise where half of us have to tail the other half and they have to try and word out whose individually tailing them. But then Basically I was tailing Tina, and then I saw Mrs Goode sneaking out of the van. I was intrigued as to why she was ditching us in the middle of an exercise so I followed her. She's actually really good at losing a tail, almost like Mr Smith!" Bex added in admiration.

I could understand it, her having taught here in all, nobody got to teach here if they either weren't incredibly book smart or absolutely the best in their field.

"But I'm 99.89% sure she didn't see me." Bex continued her monologue. "I was so far behind her that I actually lost her twice but then suddenly she turned into his lane thing and then I saw him. Mr Solomon."

"What happened?" I asked nervously.

"She pulled out a gun." Bex told me truthfully.

"She did what?" I almost yelled.

Bex nodded."She pulled out a gun. "

"Why didn't you do anything?" I accused her.

"Wait a sec Cam. Hold your horses. I was going to but then he said something and then she lowered her gun. They briefly talked, but I couldn't hear what they were saying because I was so far away. I almost got caught when Mrs Goode left, I had to hurry back to the others before she did."

I nodded, trying to comprehend what Bex had seen. "Why though?" I asked rhetorically.

"Why what?"

"Why did he go to her? Out of all the people why did he escape and go to her?"

"I don't know Cam." Bex bit her lip. "So what happened between you and Agent Townsend.

I told her what had happened, not missing any of the gory details about Townsend's face.

"Oh My God. You didn't. Cam. Oh my god!" She squealed with laughter. "Your Mom is going to kill you!" She commented.

And then my face fell, she'd just reminded me that even though Mr Solomon had escaped Agent Townsend still had my Mom.

At the look on my face Bex grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry Cammie, I shouldn't have-"

I waved her off. "No it's ok. Really." I added at her raised eyebrow. "Honestly." I nodded. "But now we need to figure out what the hell is going on."

"Right." She agreed. "But first we need to eat!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the door.

"Touché." I mumbled and the sound of my rumbling stomach.

We were half way to the Dining Room, when suddenly I saw something out of the corner of my eye, the tapestry was uneven. Curiously I reached over to inspect it, lifting it up I saw the door that used to lead to the tunnel s.  
"What?" Bex asked.

"Somebody's used the passage." I told her.

"But Your Mom-"

"Closed off all the passage ways at the beginning of the semester." I finished for her, slowly pulling back the tapestry even more. "So then why is this one still in use?" I added as the door, evidently not closed properly swung further open.

* * *

**A/N So I kind of roughly, maybe, in a sense know where I'm going with this know. All I know is that it's just so much fun to write, but seriously people somebody needs to write some more Rachel/Joe stories now!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Quick update yes I know! I love writing this, I'm so in the mood for this! My other stories will be updated in due course I just want to get a little bit further with this. I doubt we're halfway (but who know's even I don't know the full story arc yet!). Have fun reading, I really really really do appreciate reviews! They make SAT revision so much easier!**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine!**

* * *

"Cam. Don't you think we could tell Professor Buckingham about this?" Bex said, the worry was evident in her voice.

"No." I replied simply.

I knew Bex, who was usually totally for his type of thing, was only questioning it because she was worries about my safety. However things had changed now, I was desperate to know what the hell was going on.

"Okay then." She whispered and followed me in to the darkness of the tunnel.

We were no more than 3 metres into the passageway when something happened that reminded me why I haven't used this particular passageway to get out on the mansion since I was thirteen.

"Get it off me!" Bex yelped.

I felt for her in the thick darkness. "What is it?" I hissed.

"There's a spider on my arm." She whimpered.

Yes, the girl that once broke a senior's arm in P&E when she was an eigth grader was wimpering over a spdier. I rolled my eyes.

"It's dark Bex, how do you know it's a spider?

"I can feel it! Cam please can you..." She was begging now.

I slowly dusted off her arm, hoping the 'spider' would take the hint.

"Thank you.

"Your welcome." I replied, and the two of us forged onwards.

Neither one of us knew what we were looking for really, just something to identifiy whoever had been using the passageway I guess. When we got to the very end of the tunnel, where you have to push the trapdoor open and climb out near the Rossville's WalMart.

"Cammie. No." Bex pleaded with me as I reached up to the ceiling to push it.

"We have to." I whispered and with a small push opened the trap door.

"Fine." Bex sighed, but I could tell she wasn't happy.

I was breaking school rules and the direct orders of my Mom, my Aunt, Mr Solomon and Professor Buckingham; but right then I no longer cared. Bex closed the trapdoor behind her as we appeared in the undergrowth, she covered it haphazardly with leaves and moss but I didn't wait for her. Whoever had been using the passageway was good, other than the open door and slightly askew wall hanging there hadn't been anything else to suggest the passageway had been used. It ruled out 8th,9th and possibly 10th Graders none of them were that good..._yet. _

Slowly, and very aware that lunch was fininishing in less than five minutes, Bex and I walked out of the bushes and towards the WalMart. However as we passed the entrance to the delievery parking area Bex whispered to me. "Cammie look!"

I turned to see what she was pointing at, there were bullet casing on the tarmac a few feet away from the barrier separating the car parks. My eyes widened, but my shock was nothing compared to what came next.

"Your endangering us all!" The voice hissed.

A very familiar voice had spoken. Bex froze and she cocked her head to the other side of a nearby lorry. It was Mrs Goode. She'd been the one using the passageway! Bex and I slowsly ducked under the barrier and around the lorry.

"I'm trying to protect them." Came another voice.

It was Mr Solomon! What was going on?

Before another word could be uttered and before Bex could put an arm out to stop me I stepped forward.

"Cammie!" Mr Solomon said, but not in a 'I missed you way' it was more of a "What are you doing here?'. He was angry.

"Somebody." I said glaring at Zach's Gradma. "Left the passageway open.

It was meant to be funny. But nobody laughed.

"I'm taking you right back to school young lady." Diane said.

"No!" I practically shouted. "I'm not going anywhere until I know what the hell is going on. How did you escape." I looked Mr Solomon. "Why did you try to kill him?" I glanced at Mrs Goode.

Neither asked how I knew what had happened earlier and neither were impressed. I tried to read Mr Solomon's expression but all I could see was an emotion I had never seen before on him. Fear.

And then a shot was fired.

I didn't have time to register what was happening, suddenly I felt Mr Solomon's body on top of mine, pinning me to the ground. I heard three more consecutive gun shots, before without warning Mr Solomon pulled me to my feet, but suddenly i tripped in the hurry and I fell directly hitting something protruding from the truck.

And then I blacked out.

* * *

**Rachel's POV**

"Bex." I whispered softly.

At hearing her name, she turned around from the plastic hospital chair she was currently sitting in. She ran towards me to my open arms and I hugged her close. She sobbed into my arms, whimpering things I couldn't comprehend.

"Bex it's going to be ok." I promised her, whispering into her tousled hair.

Bex shook her head. "No it's not! It's all my fault." She sobbed.

She broke away from me and refused to look me in the eye. We were standing in the middle of a Hospital entranceway, Bex had called Gallagher just as Abby and I had arrived in my Office (having been released by Langley) with Professor Buckingham. She said Mrs Goode had been shot and was now on her way to hospital. Abby had then driven us straight there, arriving in under 5 minutes after breaking pretty much ever driving law there was.

"What happened?" I asked her nervously; not wanting to know what had happened if my daughter had been involved.

"Cammie..." She trailed off staring intently at the ground.

"Bex." I said seriously, trying to be calm. "What happened to Cammie?

"Mr Solomon took her." She said quickly not wanting me to suffer.

Relief flooded through my body that the Circle hadn't taken her. "Bex, now we've got that out I need you to tell me what happened, from the beginning.

Bex's spy mode quickly replaced the fragile girl that I had comforted just moments before and told me every detail of what had happened today including my daughter's run in with Agent Townsend (of which I am VERY proud of her for!).

"And so i heard the gunshot, I thought they'd hit Cammie and I was about to go see when I saw Mrs Goode on the floor. She was seriously hurt, she was bleeding heavily but she looked at me and whispered that I needed to hide. Cammie was safe. I froze, I just froze Ms Morgan.

I pulled Bex closer to me and sat down on the uncomfortable chairs in the hallway, I gently soothed her hair again as Bex began to break down again.

"And so I hid. I saw Mr Solomon carry Cammie towards a car, she was hurt. Oh gosh I think she'd been shot!" Bex panicked and started shaking. "I let her...I should have stopped her!

"Ssh Rebecca, Ssh. My daughter is very stubborn you know that, you couldn't have stopped her, but you did the right thing in following her. If Mrs Goode told you to hide, then it's good that you did, you could have been killed if you hadn't.

Bex bit her lip and tried to wipe some of her tears away. "I..I- I- I waited, there were only two men, two snipers on top of the roof." She recalled. "They left. I saw them leave and then I ran..they left her there to die, they left her...and, and so I called an ambulance. I didn't tell them what happened only that somebody had shot her, I checked her in as

"Olivia Harrison, you're maternal grandmother." Abby finished for her.

I turned around to see my little sister stand over the two of us with a clipboard in her hand. "Very well done kiddo. Good thinking.

I nodded with a smile. "Well done Bex.

"Is she going to be ok?" Bex mumbled.

I looked up expectantly at Abby. She stared back with pained eyes. "I don't know." She replied honestly.

* * *

**A/N I just realised that my Britishness has seeped through, for you Americans a lorry is a truck! Ooops sorry!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N I really am getting into this now! Thank you so much for all of your reviews, especially those who have gone on and reviewed my other stories! I look forward to writing now becaus I know all you guys do appreciate it. **

**Disclaimer: Still Not mine. **

**Joe's POV**

I could hear her screams from the bathroom. I was brushing my teeth but upon hearing them I instantaneously dropped the toothbrush into the sink and spat out what was in my mouth, before running down the hall to see her.

She was dreaming still, trapped in her nightmares by sleep. I moved around the bed, manoeuvring myself so that I was sitting next to her.

"Cammie wake up." I whispered.

She continued to thrash about in her sleep, so I slowly moved my hand to her cheek. I brushed it against her slowly, soothingly, and she didn't pull away.

"Cammie. Cammie wake up.

When she stopped thrashing, I laid down fully on the bed and hugged her tightly. It distressed me to see her in such pain, even if it was subconsciously.

"Mr Solomon?" Her voice was quiet, like a small girl's.

"I'm here Cammie. I'm here." I reassured her.

I squeezed her tighter in my embrace and she gripped ahold of my t-shirt. In response I kissed the top of her head, of which was not wrapped in a bandage.

"W-What Happened?" She said, her head buried into my shirt.

"There was a sniper, but

"Oh My God!

She let go of me, as if realising something and rolled out of my arms. "What about Bex?" She was panicking now.

"Calm down." I told her, but Cammie was as stubborn as both her parents and stupidly tried to sit up.

It hurt her head as she tried to do so and she touched the gauze on her head as if registering pain, however she didn't ask a thing about it.

"What happened to Bex?" She said.

Her voice was cracked and a sob escaped her.

"What about Bex?" I asked, not understanding what she was talking about.

"Bex was with me when I found you.

My heart dropped, I hadn't realised Ms Baxter had been there too; in my determination to save Cammie I'd only see The Apple Woman go down, I hadn't seen Bex at all. What if they had her?

As if sensing my thoughts, Cammie's eyes widened. "They have her. They have her don't they?" She shouted hysterically, tears streamed down her face and every so often she would physically wince in pain.

"Cammie calm down!" I yelled over her.

That did it. She was silent except for the occasional sob and hiccup.

"I don't know what happened to Bex. I didn't see her." I told her truthfully.

"So they could have her?" She tried to glare at me but it looked more like a wince.

"No." I said. "They didn't come for her.

"They came for me." She stated.

My eyes almost watered at the vulnerability in her voice. "No." She looked at me in the eyes, shocked at my response.

"No Cammie. This time they weren't there for you, they couldn't have known you'd sneak out. They were there for Mrs Goode.

Cammie blinked twice, registering the information. "Why?" She whispered.

I didn't respond right away, choosing to tug her closer to me instead. She complied when I wrapped my arms around her tightly.

"You know Mrs Goode is Zach's Grandma right?

She looked up at me through her tears and glared at me as if to say "duh!".

I rolled my eyes at her response. "Well." I sighed. It wasn't my place to tell her and yet I had to now. Circumstances had changed, she dissevered to know this piece of information, she needed to know now. "Mrs Goode's daughter is a key member of the Circle of Cavan.

Cammie gasped, she knew exactly what I was getting at. "No!" She shook her head. "No!

She was becoming hysterical once more and there wasn't much I could do to calm her down except from watch and comfort her. She screamed and shouted so that her voice became hoarse. She was refusing to believe that Zach's Mom could possibly be associated with the terrorist organization that murdered her father and was trying to kill her. Her distress made herself regurgitate her stomach's contents twice, all over the bedspread. When she was finished, gasping for breath she didn't look like the confident, clever and brave teenager that I had met on her first day of her sophomore year. She looked more fragile than the hour old baby I'd held in my arms 16 years ago.

**Rachel's POV**

"Where's Cammie?" he asked, practically running in my office.

"Sit down Mr Goode." I said without looking up from the paperwork on my desk.

"No.

I dropped my ben and looked up. "Of course not. You're too much like Joe.

Zach smiled at me and I rolled my eyes whilst moving around my desk to sit more comfortably on the couch.

"As your standing up Mr Goode, can you close the door please." I smiled sweetly.

Zach glared, but closed the door without a word, nonetheless. Before I could say anything more he repeated his first question.

"Where's Cammie?

"With Joe." I said simply.

"No." He defied me again.

I told him briefly what had happened, starting from Joe escaping but skipping out the fact his Grandmother was now critically ill in a coma.

"What was she thinking?" He whispered rhetorically, insinuating Cammie.

I glanced up at his hand, his nails were digging into his skin in his clenched fists and I could see a little blood dripping onto my carpet.

"Zach sit down." I ordered once more.

"No." He tried to defy me but I was having none of it.

"Sit down now Zachary." I ordered, and he relented, sitting down next to me on the couch.

"Now listen Zach, your Grandmother was shot.

Pain and fear flashed across his eyes and I grabbed his and in reassurance.

"My Mom?" He questioned sadly.

I shook my head. "But we think they were on her orders.

"How sick is that?" He yelled angrily. "How fucking sick is that?" He repeated

I didn't chastise him for his language this was a lot for anyone to take in, not least a 16 year old boy.

"She wanted to kill her own mother, how twisted is that? She's a heartless bitch!

He was ranting now and I looked at him sadly. Nobody deserved to go through what Zachary Goode had suffered through the entirety of his life. I pulled him closer to me so that I had an arm around him, hugging him as the tears began to form and finally fall. He cried and I soothed his back, proud of him for letting me do this. It takes a lot to let your defences fall, especially for somebody as strong as Zach.

"You know...?" He trailed off, sniffing as his tears started to stop. "I can understand the feeling of wanting to kill your own mother...

I sighed sadly.

He looked up at me seriously. "I would kill her you know." He whispered.

I didn't respond right away, merely lifted my finger to wipe away a tear that was trailing down his cheek instead. "I know Zach. I believe you.

Because that was the saddest thing of all. I did believe him. I hated Catherine Goode for killing my husband and endangering my daughter; as did Joe. But nobody hated her quite as much as her own son. I knew that hatred and lust for murder in Zach's eyes, so I promised myself I would do whatever it took to make sure Zachary Goode did not have to kill own mother. I knew what emotional turmoil he'd suffer, and no teenager ever needs that burden. He may have been a Blackthorn boy but he was at Gallagher now and Gilly's students would not kill.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N I can't say how utterly amazing and all gushy inside all of your reviews make me feel! You guys are utterly incredible! I honestly don't know how far we are into the story, I doubt we're over half way but you never know (fingers crossed), but if it is dragging out too long do feel free to tell me, I won't mind. I write both for my own personal gratification but also for you guys, it's a compromise I find between the two. **

**Also I just want to add as a word of warning that there is a bit of swearing in this piece, I've limited it to what I feel is necessary and in line with appropriate events and reactions. I just wanted to warn you in case people get offended by it. **

**Disclaimer: Not Mine. Gallagher Girls (the series) is owned by Ally Carter, I just have too much fun playing with the characters!**

**Cammie's POV**

When I woke up I did so in an unfamiliar room, again. It was a smaller room than the one I'd woken up to last night, I could only have presumed that this was the room Mr Solomon was supposed to have been using, but then I wouldn't know how big the house/apartment was as I actually hadn't been anywhere than the previous bedroom and it's ensuite bathroom. I put my hand to my still groggy head and I felt bandages wrapped around it, again. I was sensing a pattern here, me, bandages, Mr Solomon and safe houses. Well that's what I guessed that was what this place was anyway. I was curious, and having thrown up everything last night I was very hungry and so I decided to go off in search of Mr Solomon.

After I'd exited the bedroom; having been careful not to move to quickly, so as not to hurt my head further. I saw a small hallway and a few doors on the right hand side. I opened up the first one to see the bedroom I'd been in last night and the second for a separate bathroom. The third door I tried was a living room/kitchen. We were in an apartment.

"Hey Cammie." Mr Solomon said.

He was lying on the couch, watching a Russian news broadcast. _Alrighty then..._

"Hi."

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

I nodded furiously and he got up and moved towards the kitchen appliances, whereas I turned to sit on the couch.

"Is Cereal ok? Just I don't usually come here and..."

"Yeah it's fine." I muttered.

After a while, whilst I watched Joe prepare whatever cereal was in the cupboard I voiced a question I'd been wondering ever since I'd woken up last nice.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"A safe house."

I looked up at him with a questioning gaze. "Yours?"

"Your Dad's." Came the only response.

"Oh." I said. I thought I might cry again.

"We're in DC." He added, handing me the cereal bowl, which I grabbed immediately in a bit to stop tears from falling.

"How did you meet my Mom, Mr Solomon?" I asked between mouthfuls.

He just smiled at me and winked. "That Cammie, is an interesting story..."

My face fell. "Which you're not going to tell me are you...?"

"Let's just say it involved a chainsaw, a pair of heels and the First Poodle."

"What!" I said in surprise, spilling cereal all down my front.

He merely smirked in response.

"You can't leave me hanging on that!" I complained.

"I'll leave it for your Mom to tell you...One day." He said evilly.

"But she doesn't tell me anything! She won't even tell me how her and Dad met."

"Now that Cammie...Is an even better story!"

I hit him on the chest, his ambiguous answers and annoying smirk was annoying me. "Not fair." I moaned.

He chuckled at my light hearted touch. "Not until you have the appropriate clearance."

"That's what my Mom says!"

"I know." He whispered slightly and we both laughed.

After our laughter had died down a bit I dared to ask him a more serious question. "What are we doing next?"

Mr Solomon sighed. "You're going back to Gallagher Cam."

"What? What about you?"

"Cammie, I'm wanted by both the Circle and the CIA, I can't go back."

"Yes you can."

He shook his head sadly and leaned back on the couch next to me. "No. I can't, not whilst they still believe I'm with the Circle."

"Then we'll clear your name Mr Solomon."

"It's not that easy I'm afraid."

"Yes it is." I protested, unwilling to the man I almost viewed as a father just disappear, again.

"But whatever happens, the next thing to do is definitely get you back home."

I shook my head, defying him.

"Cammie you're safest there."

"I know." I sighed too. "I-...I just feel trapped."

"Cammie." He said, listing my chin up so that I was staring at him in the eye. "Look at me."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Everybody is working to defeat the Circle, so that you can go back to life as a normal teenager-"

"I was NEVER a normal teenager!" I interrupted in anger. "Yeah sure you're all working on defeating them but they're a fucking big terrorist organization and they will not be destroyed easily. I'm not naive! Even if you do do that, then that's going to take years! Decades!" I was shouting now.

"Calm down!"

"How the hell would you like it if you were trapped in the very place you used to call home? Never fulfilling your dreams because whilst your friends grow up, move on and become spies you're trapped in a mansion for years on end!"

"Cammie I love you."

I stopped ranting and I was suddenly very quiet. I was in shock. "What?" I whispered.

"Cameron Ann Morgan, I love you very much and I would do anything if it meant protecting you. We will sort all of this out and it will be okay in the end. I promise."

I looked up at my teacher, not seeing him but my father's best friend instead. He had a tear in his eye.

"I don't believe you." My anger was controlling me right now and I stormed out of the room.

**Rachel's POV **

"What on earth is going on here?"

I'd ran into the Entrance Hall after hearing a commotion from my office; to find a smallish crowd (it was lesson change over time) and Bex pinning Zach to the ground, he was fighting back and I saw and heard (unfortunately) him punch her.

Bex flinched, and it gave Zach enough time to wriggle out from underneath Bex and pin her to the ground,

"STOP!" I yelled, my voice echoing around the Entrance Hall.

And yet the two didn't stop, I saw Bex lift her leg up and kick Zach, blood was everywhere, staining the tiles on the floor underneath them. From the corner of my eye I saw Liz and Macey run down the stairs, pushing underclasswomen out of their way in a bid to reach the two fighting teenagers. I moved myself towards them and intervened. Zach, not realising who I was turned from Bex ready to raise his hand to me.

"I'd think very carefully about what you do next Mr Goode."

His face fell, but his lack of concentration on Bex meant she could place a similarly hard punch to his temple. Luckily for Zach he managed to swerve enough just in time so that it hit his jaw instead. However her retaliation meant it took the next 30 seconds, for Macey and I to break apart the two.

"My Office NOW!" I instructed them.

By this point Patricia had also appeared in the Entrance Hall and whilst I grabbed ahold of Zach she took over from Macey and made sure Rebecca wouldn't make physical contact with him.

When the door slammed shut I completely lost it.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU TWO THINKING?" I yelled.

It had been the first time in living memory that two students had ever physically fought one another in aggression and not on a mat in P&E.

However neither Zach nor Rebecca answered me. Bex's eye was pretty badly cut up, there was no question about it; she would have a very big purple bruise there for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile Zach's face was bloody, there were deep scratches running down his cheek and down his neck and his nose may or may not have been broken.

"Start talking NOW." I growled.

Bex winced in pain but bit her lip and stared at the floor. "He's apart of the Circle! He wants her dead!" She too was practically shouting and I was sure, if Buckingham hadn't been physically separating the two that she would have punched him once more.

I raised an eyebrow. "And how did you come to that conclusion Ms. Baxter?"

"He was on the phone to his Mom!" Bex didn't look at me, instead choosing to glare at Zach. "His Mom's a part of the Circle!"

"And how did you find that out?" I asked, leaning against my desk.

"I was looking for him for his help in a project and I found him in one of the 'supposedly' sealed off passageways, he was on the phone talking to his Mom, whispering about meeting her, something about the Circle, how she was a member and all that. I ran after him when he tried to leave, he was going to leave the mansion to go meet her. Weren't you?" She was hysterical, and addressed her final question to Zach.

Zach, who since arriving in my office had been deathly silent but evidently still angry with Rebecca just glared at her.

"Is this true Zachary, were you trying to leave the mansion?" I turned to him.

He looked me in the eye and nodded.

"I am very disappointed in you; you of all people know that is against school rules."

"But he's a part of the circle!" Bex exclaimed. "How are you just 'disappointed' in him?"

Her interruption and anger not to mention her physical violence would have usually really angered me, however I knew that all of these on both their parts had happened because of their love for Cammie.

"Rebecca stop it now!" I said harshly. "I'll come to that in a minute."

"But-"

I ignored her persistence and continued. "So you instigated the physical violence then Rebecca?"

"Yes." She growled.

"However Zachary." I turned to him. "It's clear to me that you were not just fighting in self defence back there. Ms Baxter may have been the aggressor but you were in no way acting passively were you?"

Zach didn't respond, it was a rhetorical question. Both were shocked at my temper, and in truth so was I a little bit, I'd never gotten this angry with students before. Even when some twelfth graders who should have known better decided to make and light their own fireworks in the dining hall. No this was different, this was the first time a girl had used their skills against another student, it was an unspoken rule and it didn't matter that that said student was a boy, he was still one of Gilly's students.

"I am very angry in you both."  
"Joe wouldn't be..." muttered Zach.

It was a whisper, but I heard it, hell I was a spy I always heard.

"Mr Goode you are very wrong there. Joe would not have tolerated your behaviour at all he-"

"Would have hated me and told me he didn't love me!" Zach practically screamed.

His rash and widely untrue statements that he just proclaimed made me raise an eyebrow and stare at him hardly.

"No. Once more you are very misguided Zachary, Joe loves you unconditionally as do I."

He looked at me, picking his gaze up off of the floor and at my face. My revelation had shocked not only him but me too. I'd just announced to a 16 year old boy, my daughter's sort-of boyfriend that I loved him, that was kind of a big deal if you thought about it. But as I began to think about it, I realised it wasn't a lie, I did love Zach as a son, call it a mother's intuition if you may but I wanted to protect Zach from everything that had happened to him in his life and everything that was yet to come. He needed loving parents and I wanted to be there for him, as Joe was too.

"However, because we do," I chose my words carefully "It is also our responsibility to point out your flawed reasoning, and punish you for your wrong doings. Have you got me?"

Zach looked at me, still quite shocked and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. Now tell me what on earth possessed you to want to leave the mansion, especially considering yesterday's events."

"She called me." He said, stressing 'she' to insinuate his mom. I knew he felt uncomfortable referring to Catherine as his mother.

"And what did she say?" I dug.

"She told me she knew I was at Gallagher, and she gave me some fucked up story about how my Grandmother had died sadly by a crazed gunman. I got so angry at her for lying to me I told her I knew the truth, I told her I was working against her and that I loved Joe more than I loved you. She told me I was stupid and that I was only going against her because I was infatuated with Cammie. She said she'd meet me in an hour, I was hoping I could get some information out of her regarding Cammie's whereabouts or what they wanted with her. I I- I'm sorry."

I nodded slowly, comprehending the information. Zach really was sorry for his actions. "I know Zach, you weren't thinking, it's understandable."

He nodded, and if there weren't other people in the room I would have reached over and hugged him right then. I turned to Bex, to see how she was but she was looking at me and Zach not really understanding what was going on.

"I think Zach, it would be wise to tell Rebecca about your Mom now."

Zach nodded but didn't open his mouth so instead I told Rebecca about Catherine. "Rebecca, I appreciate your actions towards Zach were out of a need to protect Cammie however they were flawed."

"but-"

I raised an eyebrow at her and she stopped.

"Zach's mom does indeed work for the Circle. However." I added looking at her. "That does not mean Zachary nor his Grandmother are also working for them. The Circle of Cavan is a big terrorist organization, Catherine Goode used her freewill when she left Gallagher-"

Bex gasped, realising what I'd just said. The woman that wanted to kill her best friend had been a Gallagher girl, a part of the sisterhood, and yet yes she had turned evil.

"To join them." I continued. "Yet that does mean her son also chose to do so, his Grandmother and Mr Solomon have both worked very hard to make sure that Zach was influenced otherwise and Zach I commend you for not doing what was easy but doing what was right instead."

Zach smiled slightly and I saw Buckingham nod her head in agreement.

"Zach's Mom isn't a nice person, she nearly killed her own mother yet both Mrs Goode and Zach are good people and they too want to protect Cammie."

"Ok." Bex whispered.

"Good Rebecca, now in light of that I would like you to think more carefully about your actions and remember you are never to abuse your skills again on other students, otherwise you are no better that Catherine Goode herself."

Bex nodded furiously. "I'm so sorry Headmistress Morgan, I'm so sorry."

"I know Rebecca and I accept your apology, however that does not excuse you from punishment."

"No." Bex moaned.

She was thinking back to the punishment I'd given those seniors after the firework fiasco. They'd had to scrub every floor on the ground floor with a toothbrush everyday for a month.

"Yes Ms Baxter, I will personally let you know what that punishment shall be after dinner. However for now Patricia could you possibly please escort Rebecca and get her cleaned up please whilst I have a word with Zach?"

"Of course." Patricia said, nodding to me and Zach before disappearing with Bex out of my office.

"Did you really mean it?" He asked, as soon as the door had shut and before I had had a chance to open my mouth. He was of course referring to my earlier revelation.

"Yes." I told him truthfully.

"Ok." He said simply, but after a pause adding. "I told my mom I loved you too."

His own revelation shocked me, it was one thing for me to say I loved him, but it made my heart flutter that he'd said it too regarding me. It was of course a mother's trait, to have the ability to get high on 'I love you's'.

He continued, acting quite embarrassed and not looking at me in the eye. "I told her I hated her, that she was nothing, that you and Joe were like my parents and that I loved you."

"Oh Zach." I said. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

I hugged him tightly, making sure that he knew what I'd told him was most definitely true. We were interrupted however, by the shrill ring of a cell phone in Zach's pocket.

"Is that her?" I questioned seriously.

"It could be...What if it is?" He was worried.

"Answer it and we'll find out."

"But?"

"Just answer it Zach." I said almost tiredly. "And then tell me how on earth you got a cell phone to work inside Gallagher. That almost certainly is a security breach."

Zach looked at me with a devilish smile that I could only have ever compared to Joe's looks at me, when he obviously knew more that I did.

He flipped open the phone and spoke. "Mom?"

**A/N 2 I hope you enjoyed it, as I certainly had fun writing it! SAT testing day tomorrow, so if anybody's taking it then Good Luck! **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N I know I say this every chapter, but your reviews honestly do make my days, plus they make for speedier chapters as well! I also have a slightly sad confession, I finally have worked out the plot of the chapter and it looks like there will be no more than 3 more chapters to come, sad I know. This story has been like therapy for me, a place to calm down in the midst of the terror of very important exams and I'm going to miss writing it so so much. However I do promise you there will be more stories to come, including a definite prequel and maybe a sequel...**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine. **

* * *

_Previously:_

_I hugged him tightly, making sure that he knew what I'd told him was most definitely true. We were interrupted however, by the shrill ring of a cell phone in Zach's pocket. _

"_Is that her?" I questioned seriously. _

"_It could be...What if it is?" He was worried. _

"_Answer it and we'll find out." _

"_But?" _

"_Just answer it Zach." I said almost tiredly. "And then tell me how on earth you got a cell phone to work inside Gallagher. That almost certainly is a security breach." _

_Zach looked at me with a devilish smile that I could only have ever compared to Joe's looks at me, when he obviously knew more that I did._

_He flipped open the phone and spoke. "Mom?"_

**Cammie's POV**

"What?" I asked through my sobs, last time I checked I was in no way Zach's Mom.

I heard a splutter on the other side of the phone. "Cammie?" He yelped.

I vaguely heard another voice on his end of the line; I hoped to God it was anybody but my Mom.

"Yes." I cried, through my sobs.

"Where are you? What happened?" He asked, the first time I'd heard his voice full of concern.

"I- I- I don't know, somewhere in DC. The Circle came..."

"What?"

"They took Joe..." I whimpered and burst into another set of tears.

"NO!" I heard a cry of disbelief from Zach.

After a pause in which I couldn't bring myself to utter another word Zach continued. "Cammie your Mom's here, she needs to talk to you."

"No." I whispered, but it was no use within a second Zach had passed the phone to my Mom.

"Cammie, can you tell me where you right now?" Mom was serious, holding back any emotion.

"I urgh umm." I felt stupid for not immediately knowing it, but I'd just ran when Joe had said to. Not caring where I'd ran to. "14th Street Northwest I said."

"Okay." I heard her scribble down the address. "Listen to me, I need you to stay safe Cammie, if you need to run, run, actually that's probably safest, do you think you can circle around maybe 6 or 7 blocks, remember what Joe taught you about-"

"I get it Mom." I interrupted hardly.

I just couldn't deal with her saying Mr Solomon's name right now.

My Mom ignored my tone and continued. "Okay. We're on our way."

I stood there, in the street for a little while longer, just staring at the phone, where I'd been talking to my Mom only moments before. I needed them right now, I needed to feel safe in my mother's arms I needed people to say I love you so that I could stay and not storm out.

An hour after I'd stormed out of the living room refusing to believe Mr Solomon 'loved me' he'd practically charged down my door, he was panicking, they were here for us, for me. But as it turns out they actually hadn't been here for me, they didn't know I wasn't at Gallagher, they were here for Joe. Before they'd broken down the apartment door, he'd opened up an old dumb waiter, hidden behind a bookcase and told me to run; he'd passed me his phone with orders to phone Zach. I didn't know why and right then there was no time to protest. He'd shoved me into the dark and tiny space with just a "Your Dad's diary, Nebraska Cammie just remember that-".

I'd escaped to the ground floor, but I didn't want to leave the apartment complex until they had left, or at least I could see Mr Solomon was safe. He evidently wasn't when I saw dark suited men carry a lifeless Joseph Solomon through the front entrance, in broad daylight. These guys were fearless and they were evil. I'd managed to get out without anybody seeing me, I'd phoned Zach as I'd ran, and now I was waiting for somebody to rescue me. I couldn't fight on my own anymore; I was so so tired and I was now ready to believe my Mom when she said I didn't want to know. She was right, she was always right.

* * *

**Rachel's POV**

"Why didn't you call the CIA?" Abby demanded.

We were currently sitting in a helicopter that would take us as close to DC as possible, Zach was sat between Abby and I and I could tell he wasn't happy about it.

"We don't know who we can trust!" I responded.

"Decker, Williams, Aniston...She was a fucking bridesmaid at your wedding for God's sake Rachel!" Abby shouted in anger.

"And Catherin Goode used to be my best friend." I whispered.

We were all silent, Abby looked at me and her eyes softened slightly.

"What I'm saying is that there's obviously a mole in the CIA, I do not want to endanger my daughter's life!"

"What about the Director? A safe house? My apartment? They're all safer options than having her wander DC alone!" Abby continued.

Zach shrank back against the cargo netting in almost fear.

"Cammie isn't the Chameleon for nothing Abby!" I defended my daughter.

"But she'd 16!"

"But she's also one of the best!"

Abby and I blinked and turned to stare at Zach, who for the first time since boarding the helicopter had spoken.

"There's a reason I don't like you Goode." Was all Abby said, narrowing her eyes and glaring at the 16 year old boy. "And it's not because you're fraternizing with my niece, your just sidling up to the mother bear so she doesn't castrate you in your sleep!

And then we all laughed, all the tension and anger between Abby and I broke instantaneously. We just wanted Cammie home now.

* * *

**Cammie's POV**

"They have him. They have Mr Solomon." I cried.

In the back seat of the car Aunt Abby gripped my hand tightly and Zach (in an impromptu sweet gesture) was stroking my back soothingly. Mom was driving the SUV and you could tell she was now trying to be professional but cracks were appearing in her facade. When she'd found me, Mom had hugged me and hadn't let me go got minutes. I'd cried almost immediately in the street, sobbing into her posh caramel colored Ralph Lauren suit jacket. Now that I think about it I think I've cried more this semester than I have in all my years at Gallagher combined.

"Cammie, ssh." You don't have to tell us now, you can wait-" Aunt Abby tried, but I interrupted her, haphazardly wiping my tears away.

"No. I- I can do it."

I gulped back my tears, willing my sp skills to kick in,

"Okay Cammie." My Mom said briefly.

She looked into the rearview mirror of the car and caught my eye. She had faith in me as a mother and as my headmistress. I could do this; and so with no more tears I recounted it all, including storming out of the living room after Joe's announcement. It was then, when I glanced in the mirror at my Mom, that I saw a lone tear run down her face.

"I didn't mean to. I was just angry, I didn't mean-"

I felt the need to defend my actions to save the disappointment from my Mom, because right then I knew what I'd suspected since the evening Mr Solomon had walked into my life on my first day of sophomore year, that my Mom loved Mr Solomon. They weren't just friends, not anymore, they were so much more, and him being taken by the Circle was destroying her just as much as it had when my Dad had disappeared all those years before. She was losing a husband all over again and I didn't want to think about the pain she was experiencing, but I knew, in a different way, because Mr Solomon loved me as a daughter and I loved him as a father.

When we arrived at Gallagher I had long since calmed down and my eyes were less red and puffy (or at least so Abby had promised me).

"Cammie!"

I looked up at my Mom pushed opened the doors to the Entrance Hall to find my roommates bounding down the stairs. Liz was the first to approach me, wrapping her slender arms around me and squeezing me as tightly as she could to make sure I'd never leave again. I received hugs from all three of my roommates and the beginning of a speedy monologue about Tina and wet paint a lose python, I was just about getting to grips with the story before my Mom interrupted.

"Girls, I suggest you continue that conversation in your room-"  
"But-" Bex went to object, knowing that it was 3:30 pm and so effectively our last class of the day would be starting in 15 minutes.

"Cammie is exhausted; I hope you girls can take good care of her tonight. I don't want anybody else at Gallagher to know what's happened; the last thing I want is Agent Townsend to get wind of this." She continued.

"Yes Ma'am." We all said.

Before I was dragged away to my room my Bex I heard my Mom talk to Zach.  
"I'd suggest you do the same Zach, you're tired you need to sleep."

There was concern riddled in her voice, but Zach shrugged it off and mumbled in a gruff voice. "Whatever." Before moving towards the staff quarters.

I smiled a sad smile at him, but he wouldn't make eye contact with me instead choosing to push past on his way up the stairs. Boys were a mystery to me, yes still, or was it just Zachary Goode being an ass?

* * *

**Rachel's POV**

I knocked on Zach's door at 7pm, he'd missed dinner but I wasn't surprised for Zach hadn't slept properly in days (I've heard and seen him wandering Gallagher in the early hours) and he had definitely looked exhausted all day. I knocked once more after there was no response the first time but there was no answer again and so I gently opened the door myself. The room was dark, and due to the increasingly darker evenings even though the curtain wasn't pulled, no light came through the window. Zach's room was precariously tidy, a clue signally to his days back at Blackthorne, but much unlike Joe's'. To escape Blackthorne's past; for although Joe had loved Blackthorne, when he had gone, things had been similar to the regime of the past, training boys to be killers, and Joe wasn't a killer; he wanted to escape from the tradition. He wanted to be a spy not a sniper, and so in an unconscious act of rebellion Joe had become the messiest guy I have ever known, seriously it's a wonder he can crawl into bed at night.

"Zach, wake up." I whispered.

He was curled up in his sheets, sleeping soundly. I shook his shoulder gently and he flinched awake at the contact.

"What?" He mumbled.

He rubbed his eye gently and I smiled gently in the darkness as I crouched next to his bed.

"It's Rachel." I said softly, knowing he properly could not yet see me in the darkness. "I'm going to turn this light on, is that ok?" I asked, motioning to the light.

Still sleepy he nodded and so I reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, immediately the room was flooded with light.

"Why-?" He started off, seeing me clearly, his Headmistress in his bedroom.

"You missed dinner." I replied.

I gently got up from my crouching position and picked up the tray I'd put on his bedside table.

"I brought food."

He smiled, wiping sleep from his eyes and sitting up against his pillows on his bed. I could tell he was still wearing the clothes he'd been wearing today so he'd probably just stormed to his room, slammed the door (you could hear it from my office) and fallen asleep on his bed.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." I said as I perched myself slightly on the bed. "Your Grandmother's awake now Zach."

His eyes widened and he dropped the fork he'd just about to put on his mouth. He instantaneously tried to move the tray, to get up in a bid to go see his Grandmother.

"Stop." I ordered, and he complied. "You can see her after you've eaten. You need to eat." I told him seriously.

"But-"

"No but's." I said, eyebrow raised. "I only told you so you didn't shout at me later for not telling you immediately, however you need to eat."

He sighed and then I continued. "Also. We need to talk."

He bit his lip and didn't look at me in the eye, choosing instead to shovel food into his mouth, in a hope I wouldn't get him to talk.

"What happened downstairs earlier?" I asked.

My voice was soft, I was truly concerned about Zach and what he was going through.

"I- I-." He swallowed and looked at me. "I'm sorry."

"Zach I know that, but that's not what I was asking."

"I know." He responded simply. "I honestly don't know, I guess I was annoyed Cammie had all of her friends and I've never had anyone be there for me like they were for her. I was jealous and it made me remember all that she had that I didn't have, which is stupid I know because she's not happy and she's the one in danger."

My face softened and I looked at the vulnerability in Zach. "It's understandable."

He smiled weakly at me. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

"I miss Joe." His voice was quiet, no more than a whisper.

"Me too kiddo. Me too."

"He's been the one there for me, he made everything better and now he's..." He trailed off, not wanting to think about what Joe could be going through right now, unwilling to imagine.

I shuddered at the thought and pushed them from my mind, his son was what mattered now and making him feel safe.

"Zach I can't promise you things will be ok, but I can promise you that we will do anything to make this nightmare end and bring Joe home."

He looked at me, as if unwilling to take the hope I was offering but in a sense it was the only way, we had to be positive, we had to hope because if we didn't we'd be mourning before it was even over and we both knew we couldn't do that. Joe's death would destroy us both. We had to bring him home.

* * *

**A/N R&R I'd love to hear your views on it, I hope it was ok for you all because I really enjoyed writing the Rachel/Zach bits I really like their relationship and it's dynamics, knowing Zach can push further than others and disobey her but at the end of the day he does truly appreciate her guidance. Anyway thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N So here we are, so close to the end. However don't fret there will be a sequel which I've already started (it's so much fun)! I currently have 3 exams left in England, but after tomorrow I have a 9 day break so I can get back to writing constantly! Your reviews are amazing! I'm glad people like this!**

**Disclaimer: The Gallagher Girls characters belong to Ally Carter and not me. **

**Cammie's POV**

"Hey girls." Mom said, as Macey opened our bedroom door.

I was tired to say the least, it had been a traumatic day and all I wanted to do was snuggle up in bed and sleep, but I couldn't blame my roommates for keeping me awake to get all the lowdown on what had gone on. They'd listened and comforted me but I hadn't cried since the car but the three of them could tell I was not feeling ok. So instead we decided to have a girls night in, pig out on our stash of popcorn m&ms and redvines and gossip.

"Hello Headmistress Morgan," the three chanted almost immediately.

"Mom." I added.

Without another word, Mom came and sat next to me on my bed, picked up a handful of m&ms from the bowl and carefully put one into her mouth with a smile. "Mrs Goode's awake." She told me.

Mom rarely came into my room, in a way it was to give me privacy, it was the only place that my Mom never went. She was always there, in my school and in my home 24/7, and it was nice to have a little space between us at times. Even when she had something important or urgent to tell me she'd get one of the girls to deliver a message for me to come down to her room or her office instead of coming up here herself. I didn't mind that today she'd come up, I knew she was worried at me and hey so would I if my daughter had gone missing, nearly evaded capture of a terrorist organization that wanted to kill her and had only just been rescued.

"Good, I actually liked her lessons. There's only so many D-Day stories of Buckingham I can take." Bex stated simply.

My Mom raised an eyebrow at her and Bex clamped a hand over her mouth realising what she'd just said. "Oops."

"Oops indeed Rebecca." My Mom said in a semi-serious tone and we all laughed, Bex included. "Anyway." Mom continued. "She's asked to see you."

"Oh." I said. "Okay."

"You can go in the morning, I don't want you up now and Zach's with her at the moment."

I nodded to my Mom and that's when I realised how different she looked. She looked sad. It was understandable of course, her 'best friend' was still in the Circle's 'custody' doing unthinkable things to him and her daughter had just come home; but it also shocked me. Shocked me into realization of how serious this was as my Mom was usually the best person to hide her emotions and if even she couldn't this had to be serious. Although she was dressed in her work clothes she'd ditched the jacket and although she still looked amazingly hot (unfortunately) without it, she wasn't wearing any makeup and her eyes were red and slightly puffy. She'd been crying, that much was evident and although she'd tried to do something about it, it still showed.

"We'll go with you Cam." Liz said looking up at me in all seriousness.

I should've known that now I was back I'd be stalked by my protection detail (a.k.a my roommates).

"That sounds like a good idea." Mom nodded.

"Is that all you came for...?" I trailed off impatiently.

As much as I loved my Mom, she was interfering in girls night, and there are some gossip items you don't want your own mother to hear, particularly when it comes to a certain Blackthorn Boy.

Mom rolled her eyes at my tone and swallowed another m&m. "No. Abby is taking you to Nebraska tomorrow."

I blinked twice and scrunched up my nose. "Huh?"

I looked at Macey, Bex and Liz, who all looked just as lost and surprised as I did.

"You said Joe told you that your Dad's diary is in Nebraska, Abby and I have realised it's our only lead and so you two are going." Mom said, it was clear she didn't like what she was saying but it was indeed the most logical solution.

"But what about Mr Solomon?" I asked her.

"We're still looking for him kiddo, but the Circle's massive and we're working against the CIA here..." She trailed off with a sad look in her eye. "This is our only lead."

I knew how much Mr Solomon meant to her and it pained me to watch her try to stay strong for me. If my roommates hadn't been there I would've wrapped my arm around her and comforted her.

"We're going too." Macey told my Mom, standing up tall.

Mom shook her head. "The risks too big."

"Then why's Cammie going?" Bex countered.

Mom swallowed. "Abby, Professor Buckingham, Madame Dabney and I have all discussed it, Cammie will be protected by Gallagher alumni and her Aunt. There's more risk when there's all of you too."

Macey glared at my mother, and I was willing to bet my Mom would have told her off, however to my surprise she did nothing of the sort.

"Don't look at me like that Macey. I don't like it either."

"Then why-"

"It's an adult decision and it's already been made." She said softly but firmly, but Macey didn't stop her glare. Mom ignored her and turned to me. "You can pack your bags in the morning, you'll leave at 11:00. Now get some rest." Her last comment was said in a motherly way, kind. "I love you kiddo."

She wrapped on her arms around me and pulled me close, squeezing me tight for a moment before letting me go.  
"Love you too Mom."

She smiled at me before picking up another handful of m&ms and made her way to the door.  
"Night girls, and do try to at least get some rest." She smirked at my roommates and I but nobody smiled back as she closed the door behind her.

**The Apple Woman's POV **

I'd left Gallagher 17 years ago, when an operation had uncovered Catherine Goode, my daughter as being a member of the Circle. My husband had died on an operation 5 years beforehand and she was the only relative I had left. The shame was undeniable. I'd given up my post as a teacher, where I'd taught for the last 10 years in mortification. How could my daughter, who had been immersed only in goodness have turned out so wrong. I blamed myself. For four years I'd ran, eventually settling down in Maryland on an Apple Farm that had previously been a safe house that my late husband had bought. Until that day, when a man and a woman, both strikingly beautiful arrived with a little girl and a little boy and had changed my world around. I was a grandmother to a boy, Zachary Goode was my own living relative, he was my grandson, all mine. Joseph Solomon had stood in front of me with the boy, prised his tiny hands from his shirt , whispered something in his ear and the boy had walked over to me and asked. "Grandma?"

I loved him in an instant. I was shocked nonetheless, my daughter, my evil daughter who I still loved but couldn't understand, comprehend why she had taken this path in life, had a son. She'd been pregnant when the operation had uncovered her as being a member of the Circle. She hadn't told me, hadn't wanted me. But it didn't matter then, all that did was this little boy, and I vowed when he shed a few tears when saying goodbye to the man who had brought him to me that I would protect him and work so impeccably hard to make sure he didn't make the same mistakes in life as his mother had.

For two years I thought I had succeeded, Catherine hadn't made contact in those years and Joe had only appeared twice, on Zach's fifth and sixth birthdays. It didn't matter, Zachary was better off without knowing her, we settled into routine and he was a very intelligent and inquistious child. He asked about stories from my spying days but not once did he ask about his mother. He often did ask about Joe though and sometimes about the woman that had also brought him to me, but by the time he turned six I think he'd probably forgotten about her. I hadn't. Naturally.

However it was a few months after Zach had turned six that everything had changed, a car had pulled up by the orchard and there was a scent in the air that proclaimed it was not going to be a very nice day. Zach was playing outside and I was in the kitchen, I almost thought to bring him inside, however before I could call out through the open window Zach was already shouting. "Joe!" and running towards the car. Zach had been so concentrated on seeing Joe, the man that he looked up to as a father, who was his super hero, that he hadn't noticed a woman get out of the car on the opposite side. Not until he was in Joe's arms and babbling away.

My face fell as I watched her climb out, in an instant I was outside of the house and running towards them.

"Zachary, don't you want to see your own mother?" Catherine called.

Joe's grip tightened around Zach and the little boy flinched and turned around to see the woman. She was pretty, not astoundingly so, but her dark hair and bright eyes stood out. However it was hard not to miss the lack of emotion in her voice as she'd spoken.

"Catherine." I said her name and her attention was brought back from her son to me. "Why are you here?"

"I've come to take Zach."

"What?" I was shocked. I turned to Joe and he stared at me with an angry expression, he wasn't happy about this either.

"I've come to take my son from you _mother._" She said in bored tone, stressing the word mother.

I hadn't seen my own daughter in 6 years, and now she was here to take away my Grandson. I felt sick.

"Why now?"

Catherine ignored my question and walked around the car towards Joe and Zach, who visibly shifted in Joe's arms away from her. "It was very nice of you to take care of him, but he is _my _son and I want him home."

"Why now? Why not before?"

Catherine rolled her eyes. "I wasn't in a place to have him with me-"

"The Circle..." I trailed off.

Catjerine's eyes brightened. "Of course."

This was the first time I'd seen her since I'd learned of her involvement in terrorism, this was the first time I could see with my own eyes how twisted she had become.

"I don't want to go." Zach said.

He'd broken the silence with a little staccato voice and he looked like he was close to tears. This must have been a big shock for him.  
"Of course you do." Catherine interrupted him.

Joe glared at her angrily. "He doesn't want to-"

"He's five, he doesn't know anything." She retorted in a bored tone

"He's six." I countered. "And he's very bright actually."

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "We'll see."

"Please." I was almost begging now. "Please can he stay."

Catherine stared me seriously her face expressionless. "No." Her words were serious.

"Joe, am I going to be with you?" Zach asked him, his face buried in his shirt for reassurance.

Joe closed his eyes, refusing to meet my gaze. "No kiddo. But I'll be around."

I thought Zach was going to burst into tears. He didn't want to go with his mother, who it was apparent he'd remembered, he wanted to stay here.

"Put him in the car Solomon, we have a plane to catch." Catherine demanded.

I felt useless for being able to do nothing to prevent this. "Wait."

My daughter turned round impatiently. "Yes." She drawled.

"You'll need his car seat-"

"He'll be fine."

"Catherine-" Joe warned glaring at her.

She thought for a moment and sighed. "Fine, whatever."

"It's in my car." I said simply.

"Well then go get it." Catherine said.

"What about his things? His clothes, toys?" I asked.

"We'll buy him new ones. "

"I want my dinosaur." Zach interrupted. "Joe can we get my dinosaur." He added in a whisper.

"Sure thing kiddo." Joe replied to the boy.

"Fine." Catherine said with annoyance. "You've got 5 minutes, otherwise I'm grabbing him and leaving." She sneered and got in the drivers side of the car, leaving Joe, Zach and I to hurry to the house in search of his things.

"His dinosaurs on his bed Joe." I ordered as we entered the house.

Joe set Zach on the floor. "Grab your toys that you want to take." He said.

"Am I leaving forever?" He asked, looking from Joe to me and back.

"Not forever Zach." I promised and I looked at Joe for reassurance. Who lied through his teeth when he plastered a fake smile over his face and nodded. "Not forever Zach, but for a while your going to have to live with your Mom. So go pack your toys."

It took four minutes, Zach gathered up his toys in his Toy Story backpack, it was a new movie that had come on recently on VCR and Zach watched it everyday. Joe and I packed another bag with some of his clothes and extras like his colouring pens. I didn't want this boy to leave and I felt tears in my eyes as I took out Zach's booster seat from my car and Joe took it over to the one with Catherine in. Zach hugged my knees.

"I love you Grandma. I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too Zach. I love you too."

I blinked back tears that threatened to fall as I turned to look at Zachary Goode sleeping in the hard plastic chair next to my hospital like bed. He was 17 years old now, so different and grown up compared to the day his mother had taken him from me. He was still as beautiful and kind and clever as he was then and even if I'll never tell him, I'm so thankful for Joseph Solomon for watching over him and making sure his mother's influence was minimised. I still feel disappointed in myself for my daughters actions, I should have done more to have prevented it; but I'm proud of my Grandson for choosing a different path.

I closed my eyes softly, I still ached from being shot but less so than I did 12 hours ago when I'd woken up. I'd only been out for a day, or was two or three? It wasn't tremendously bad though my abdomen still seared with pain. I opened them to look at Zach, I'd ordered him to go to bed when it had appeared he'd be having a midnight vigil at my bedside. He'd refused point blank with the same stubbornness as Joseph Solomon and it wasn't until Rachel arrived and threatened him had he relented. Even so, by 7:30am, Zach had returned to my side. Bless him.

I continued to reminisce of my time with my Grandson over the years until I heard a knock on the door, I looked up to see Cammie, her friends close behind her.

"Come in." I whispered hoarsely.

**A/N So there's actually going to be more chapters than I anticpated, I thought this was going to be the penultimate or final chapter but then I looked at the plot again and I extended it. I hope you liked it, I liked writing Diane she's a strong woman. On another note, within the next week a sort of prequel oneshot will be realeced for this so just to let you know**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N I'm writing this as I go along as I always have, if you'd asked me where this was going at Chapter 1 there would have been no way I could've thought that we'd end up here (but don't worry it's not over yet). I know I promised a prequel last week but surprisingly I have actually been busy (ball dress shopping and skating practice does that to a girl) and it will be up soon now that my final exam is on Wednesday. I hope you enjoy this chapter I appreciate that it's on the shorter side but the next few chapters (we're so close to the end but I'd predicting probably 2 chapters, if not just one plus an epilogue) might be a bit longer. I hope you have fun reading, I enjoyed writing this on a really boring train journey across England yesterday so I hope you like reading it. **

**Disclaimer: Gallagher Girls belongs to Ally Carter not me. **

Joe's POV

My head seared with pain, blood was plastered all over my body and my back hurt so much I could barely feel it. Torture is something I'd felt before, ye and I've learnt to block those experiences out; but now, the pain is so real I just want to close my eyes-

The door banged open loudly and it took all my willpower just to open my eyes to see who had entered. My heart sunk knowing the pain was only going to get worse. I was surprised to see who it was, Catherine Goode never used to like getting her hands dirty.

"Catherine." I drawled.

"Well, well Joseph Solomon," She responded with an almost cackle. "Still glad you left us?"

"Always." I retorted.

"Well that's too bad." She smirked at me and I thought I was going to be sick. "Zach's going to miss you when you're dead." She spat.

When I didn't respond she sighed, as if half the fun would have been me struggling with survival against her and continued.

"I head you and Rachel are his new parents. What a bad influence you've been...taking my son from me, leaving me alone." The anger was evident in Catherine's voice.

She didn't love Zach, Catherine never had, not enough to put his best interests first. The only reason she was anger now was because she'd lost something to the enemy.

"How is Rachel anyway?"

This time she didn't wait for my response, choosing to continue into a monologue instead.

"I hear you two are together now, oh dear. I wonder what Mathew would have thought about that, his best friend screwing his wife."

I ignored her words, it was a good thing that I was so weak otherwise I would have physically attacked her already.

"I heard you're not very good at talking, Solomon. It's such a pity...we'll just have to kill you instead. What a waste of good looks you are."

Throughout the pain that wracked my body I managed to pull myself together for one final retort against Catherine Goode.

"I love Zach because you were never there for him. Never there to hold him and do right by him, you never loved him Catherine, the only person you ever loved was yourself. I chose to leave the circle because I realised what it did; it made people like you, evil, twisted men and women who ignore their own children, ruin thousands of innocent lives and that are prepared to kill their own mothers in cold blood. I will never help you Catherine." I said slowly, surprised that she even let me finish.

"Well that's too bad." She smirked at me.

And that's when I knew it. I was going to die. Without telling Rachel Morgan that I loved her, always had, always would. Always.

* * *

Cammie's POV

Zach had woken up just as I had entered the room, having left my roommates outside. He looked exhausted and although his eyes were no longer red, it didn't take a genius given the circumstances that he had been crying.

"Hello Cameron."

I looked up to see a slight smile form on Mrs Goode's lips.

Even though I felt like crawling into bed and under the covers and just be hugged by my Mom for the rest of eternity (with m&ms of course...that's a given); I put on my biggest non-fake smile (because I truly was happy that Mrs Goode was awake) and continued with the formalities Madame Dabney had always taught up.

"Hello Mrs Goode, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling truth be told like crap actually. I'm too old to be getting shot."

I stared at my teacher in shock, my facade slipping, how she could joke about this.

"Oh Cameron, when you get to my age you realise the worlds too dark not to have any humour." She said as if understanding how I felt.

I looked up at her and half smiled about to say something but Mrs Goode interrupted.

"Zachary you wouldn't mind standing outside for a few minutes whilst I talk to Cammie would you?"

Zach looked at her with a look that conveyed, 'yes he did mind very much', but nonetheless he got up and flounced from the room. When the door swung shut, leaving my roommates and Zach in the hallway and Mrs Goode and I in the room. The room was plain and looked like any other sterile hospital room, it just so happened that this particular room was in the middle of a historic mansion full of spies in training.

I was still at a loss as to know why Mrs Goode (snr) wanted to see me when I finished analyzing the room and sat in the chair Zach had previously vacated.

"Cammie, I'm so glad you're safe."

I looked up at her in surprise; her tone was soft and kind, almost motherly, very much unlike her usual brash voice.

"I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about my daughter-"

She searched my eyes for the understanding that I knew who her daughter now was, I confirmed it and she seemed satisfied, but I scrunched up my nose, not understanding what she was saying or where this was going.

Diane Goode sighed and looked me in the eyes. "My daughter has done unbelievable things in the name of an evil cause. Very few people in the world are truly evil but my selfish daughter is one of them. I'm so sorry what she's done to you and your family Cammie."

"Mrs Goode it's not your fault, you don't need to apologise." I tried.

"Oh but I do. It's my fault...It's all my fault."

Mrs Goode (snr) was close to tears and I could tell this had been a burden that my teacher had held close to her for all these years.

"You see Cameron, I could have done something...I should have done something." She said bitterly.

"No-"I started, just a bit weirded out that I was the one comforting my teacher.

"Yes." She interrupted. "Your mother will agree with me when I say that the ultimate loss in a mother's life is her own child choosing what is wrong over what is right. Because what it means is that you've failed, you spend years with your child, making sure they know right from wrong, shaping them to be good people, but my own daughter threw that all away."

I was above to say something bu then held my tongue, realising that this was the time to listen and not to comfort or to reassure. A tear fell down Mrs Goode's check and she hastily wiped it away before continuing once more.

"I found out nearly 18 years ago, who she really was. It was a shock to everyone, because you have to know Cameron, that my daughter was a good girl, out of the two of them your mother was definitely the more rebellious one."

I chocked. "My mother knew Zach's mom?"

"Yes Cameron. They went to Gallagher together, they were very much best friends."

I thought I was going to sick, I could feel acid rising in my throat, I felt the same raw emotions that I had when Mr Solomon had told me that she was Zach's mom. I was unbelieavly shocked, this couldn't be true, my mom and the woman that wanted to kill me could never have been friends.

"Cammie this doesn't mean that your mom's a bad person, because you know she's isn't nor had ever been. She's the best the CIA have ever had and I don't exaggerate."

I nodded, relief flooded through me and I let go of the breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding. Wait...that meant tha Zach's mom had been a Gallagher Girl...she was a sister. Oh helo no.

"No. She was at Gallagher..." I trailed off.

Mrs Goode closed her eyes. "Yes Cammie." She confirmed my fears. "I was with the CIA as was my husband, and then he died, I didn't want to risk the field and orphan my only child."

I almost smiled slightly at the irony between the similarities of my mom's situation and Mrs Goode's.

"I went to Gallagher to teach and so my daughter came here. She befriended your Mom on their very first day having bonded over a love of chocolate sweets."

I almost laughed, knowing very much, like I did, how much my mother did like chocolate, but I didn't because I knew now who else did too.

"She seemed so good, i was so proud of ehr when she graduated from here, but that's when everything began t change. She stopped talking to me, became a lot more secretive and cut off all of her fiends; it was bad but I never unnagined what she was actually doing. I was told eventually, when a CIA op uncovered my daufgter was working witht he Circle. I retired from Galaher in shame. I felt everybody thought my daughter had been influenced by me and then I found out about Zachary and I suddenly stopped feeling sorry for myself and worked to make sure Zach wasn't influenced by her. So what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry and please don't blame Zachary for his mothers wrong doings, blame me."

I was stunned with how open my teacher was being with me, far more open that my Mom and Mr Solomon would ever have been, will ever be. "I- I-." I stuttered before swallowing and continuing properly. "I know that. Maybe not to begin with, but I know now that Zach is a good guy not a bad guy."

Diane smiled at me. "Good Cameron. I'm glad you realise that."

"I do have one question though." I asked.

"Go on."

"Why did you tell me all this?"

Mrs Goode stared at me with kind eyes. "Because you of all people deserve to know and who else is going to tell you? Your Mom in all her ability can't because she loves you too much she wants to protect you as does Mr Solomon." I winced at his name but she ignored me and continued. "They won't tell you because they want to make sure you don't have too, but my daughter had pushed down that barrier, you have to know Cammie because you are very much in danger and god forbid if your Mom and Joe aren't there to protect you, you need to be prepared, you nee to be ready."

If I'd thought I could have been any more shocked before I was wrong. Diane Goode had practically said Mr Solomon loved me and she'd voiced my fears that nobody else was willing to accept that I was in grave danger, that it was me the Circle wanted and that they were dangerous. The strange thing was I was happy, I was glad to finally have the truth be told to me, I could stop being angry with my Mom, my Aunt and Mr Solomon for not telling me because now I already knew. I knew that I was wanted dead by my own sister, by moms ex-best friend, my teachers daughter and my boyfriends mom.


End file.
